On Wednesday (Nov 26), France's highest court ruled against former president Nicolas Sarkozy for illegal financing of his re-election bid in 2012. The ruling comes after Sarkozy was sentenced to jail on October 21 in a different case for his association to alleged Libyan funding in his earlier election campaign. He was convicted of illegal funding for his campaign from the now-deceased dictator of Libya, Muammar Gaddafi. Sarkozy, who was France's president from 2007 to 2012, has denied the allegations since onset but is now the first French president post-war to go to prison and the first former head of a European Union country to serve prison time. During the trial, the judge found Sarkozy guilty of criminal conspiracy but acquitted him of three separate charges of corruption, misuse of Libyan public funds and illegal election campaign funding.

&nbsp;The 70-year-old's 20 days in jail made him the first post-war French leader to serve time behind bars, before his release earlier this month pending an appeals trial. The Court of Cassation on Wednesday said Sarkozy was "definitively convicted" in the 2012 campaign financing case, upholding the ruling of an appeals court last year that sentenced him to a six-month term with an electronic tag. Prosecutors argued Sarkozy's right-wing party worked with a public relations firm, Bygmalion, to hide the true cost of his 2012 electoral campaign.&nbsp;They said he spent nearly 43 million euros (almost $50 million) on his 2012 campaign, nearly double the permitted amount of 22.5 million euros. Unlike his co-defendants, he was not implicated in the double-billing system allegedly used to cover costs but was held accountable as the beneficiary of illegal campaign financing. Sarkozy has denied "any criminal responsibility", denouncing the allegations as "lies". But his lawyers Patrice Spinosi and Emmanuel Piwnica in a joint statement told AFP that he had taken note of the Court of Cassation's decision.&nbsp;<h2>What was the pact between Sarkozy and Gaddafi?</h2>&nbsp;According to the case details, Sarkozy had struck a pact with Gaddafi to obtain funding from the former Libyan dictator for his election campaign in return for diplomatic, legal, and business favours. The trail came after a 10-year anti-corruption probe. It was first in March 2011 when a Libyan news agency reported about Gaddafi financing Sarkozy's 2007 election campaign.In 2014, French24 had reported that in a recorded interview with France 3 TV, Gaddafi reportedly said: "Sarkozy is mentally deficient … It’s thanks to me that he became president … We gave him the funds that allowed him to win.”In the same year, Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam had Euronews: “The first thing we ask of this clown is that he return the money to the Libyan people. We helped him so he could help the Libyan people, but he let us down.”

The 70-year-old's 20 days in jail made him the first post-war French leader to serve time behind bars, before his release earlier this month pending an appeals trial. 

On Wednesday (Nov 26), France's highest court ruled against former president Nicolas Sarkozy for illegal financing of his re-election bid in 2012. The ruling comes after Sarkozy was sentenced to jail on October 21 in a different case for his association to alleged Libyan funding in his earlier election campaign. He was convicted of illegal funding for his campaign from the now-deceased dictator of Libya, Muammar Gaddafi. Sarkozy, who was France's president from 2007 to 2012, has denied the allegations since onset but is now the first French president post-war to go to prison and the first former head of a European Union country to serve prison time. During the trial, the judge found Sarkozy guilty of criminal conspiracy but acquitted him of three separate charges of corruption, misuse of Libyan public funds and illegal election campaign funding.

The 70-year-old's 20 days in jail made him the first post-war French leader to serve time behind bars, before his release earlier this month pending an appeals trial.&nbsp;

Top court upholds former French president Nicolas Sarkozy's second conviction

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been released from La Santé prison in Paris after serving three weeks of a five-year sentence for criminal conspiracy related to his 2007 presidential campaign financing.

Nicolas Sarkozy Walks Out of Prison After Three Weeks

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to five years in jail on Thursday (Sep 25). He has been found guilty of criminal conspiracy to procure funds for his 2007 presidential bid from Libya during the rule of late dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Sarkozy was accused of making a deal with Gaddafi in 2005, when he was France's interior minister. The deal allegedly included campaign financing in exchange for supporting Gaddafi's Libyan government on the international stage.


Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy sent to five-year jail in 'Gaddafi money' case

France’s highest court upheld on Wednesday former President Nicolas Sarkozy’s conviction for corruption and influence peddling. Watch this report for more details!

France: Sarkozy First Former Head of State Ordered to Wear Electronic Tag

There has been an interesting development in The graft case involving former French president Nicolas Sarkozy his wife Carla Bruni has now become a suspect in the case. She has been accused of illegal witness tampering and helping her husband.

Gravitas | Carla Bruni now suspect in Sarkozy graft case

The former President of France Nicolas Sarkozy if found guilty of illegally funding his 2012 re-election bid. Sarkozy was accused of overspending his money on elections.

Former France President Nicolas Sarkozy found guilty of illegal campaign financing

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to face trial in 2025 following allegations that he accepted funds from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to finance one of his election campaigns, news agencies reported citing prosecutors. If convicted, the former French president could face up to 10 years in prison. The trial will delve into evidence suggesting that Sarkozy, along with 12 co-defendants, engaged in a conspiracy to unlawfully secure funds from Gaddafi to support his successful 2007 presidential bid.&nbsp;"There's not even the smallest inkling of proof," he reportedly said in a 2018 interview.&nbsp;

<h2>Denial of allegations</h2>

Sarkozy, a right-wing politician who has encountered numerous legal challenges since his single term as president from 2007 to 2012, vehemently denies the allegations involving Libyan funding.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-with-prigozhin-dead-wagner-groups-bloodied-past-tumultuous-present-uncertain-future-629170">With Prigozhin dead, Wagner group's bloodied past, tumultuous present &amp; uncertain future</a>

These allegations stand as the most severe legal issue he currently faces. Despite being convicted twice for corruption and influence-peddling in separate cases related to attempts to manipulate a judge and campaign financing, Sarkozy has contested both verdicts through appeals.

<h2>Prominent figures among co-defendants</h2>

Several significant figures are among the co-defendants who will face trial for their alleged involvement in the Libyan funding scandal. These include Claude Gueant, Sarkozy's former right-hand man, Eric Woerth, the former head of campaign financing, and Brice Hortefeux, a former minister.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/greek-wildfires-are-worst-in-europe-in-decades-says-eu-backed-climate-service-629165">Greek wildfires are worst in Europe in years, says EU-backed climate service</a>

The investigation was triggered by revelations from the investigative platform Mediapart, which released a document purportedly indicating that Gaddafi had agreed to provide Sarkozy with up to 50 million euros ($54 million based on current exchange rates).

The prosecutor's office has announced that the first hearing is designated for March 7, 2024. The trial is planned between January 6, 2025, and April 10, 2025, according to the information provided. After his unsuccessful appeal in May, 68-year-old Sarkozy's 2021 conviction on charges of corruption and influence peddling stands. His legal team has expressed their intention to contest this verdict at France's highest court, reported Reuters.&nbsp;

<h2>Sarkozy-Gaddafi relations&nbsp;</h2>

Sarkozy and Gaddafi shared an unexpectedly amicable relationship, exemplified by Gaddafi setting up his Bedouin tent across from the Elysee Palace during a state visit to France shortly after Sarkozy's election. Sarkozy's recent activities have rekindled attention in France, with the release of the second volume of his memoirs and his suggestions regarding the recognition of Russia-occupied Ukrainian territories following last year's Kremlin-led invasion.

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Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to face trial in 2025 following allegations that he accepted funds from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to finance one of his election campaigns, news agencies reported citing prosecutors.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to face trial in 2025 following allegations that he accepted funds from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to finance one of his election campaigns, news agencies reported citing prosecutors. If convicted, the former French president could face up to 10 years in prison. The trial will delve into evidence suggesting that Sarkozy, along with 12 co-defendants, engaged in a conspiracy to unlawfully secure funds from Gaddafi to support his successful 2007 presidential bid. "There's not even the smallest inkling of proof," he reportedly said in a 2018 interview. Denial of allegations Sarkozy, a right-wing politician who has encountered numerous legal challenges since his single term as president from 2007 to 2012, vehemently denies the allegations involving Libyan funding. Also Read | With Prigozhin dead, Wagner group's bloodied past, tumultuous present & uncertain future These allegations stand as the most severe legal issue he currently faces. Despite being convicted twice for corruption and influence-peddling in separate cases related to attempts to manipulate a judge and campaign financing, Sarkozy has contested both verdicts through appeals. Prominent figures among co-defendants Several significant figures are among the co-defendants who will face trial for their alleged involvement in the Libyan funding scandal. These include Claude Gueant, Sarkozy's former right-hand man, Eric Woerth, the former head of campaign financing, and Brice Hortefeux, a former minister. Also Read | Greek wildfires are worst in Europe in years, says EU-backed climate service The investigation was triggered by revelations from the investigative platform Mediapart, which released a document purportedly indicating that Gaddafi had agreed to provide Sarkozy with up to 50 million euros ($54 million based on current exchange rates). The prosecutor's office has announced that the first hearing is designated for March 7, 2024. The trial is planned between January 6, 2025, and April 10, 2025, according to the information provided. After his unsuccessful appeal in May, 68-year-old Sarkozy's 2021 conviction on charges of corruption and influence peddling stands. His legal team has expressed their intention to contest this verdict at France's highest court, reported Reuters. Sarkozy-Gaddafi relations Sarkozy and Gaddafi shared an unexpectedly amicable relationship, exemplified by Gaddafi setting up his Bedouin tent across from the Elysee Palace during a state visit to France shortly after Sarkozy's election. Sarkozy's recent activities have rekindled attention in France, with the release of the second volume of his memoirs and his suggestions regarding the recognition of Russia-occupied Ukrainian territories following last year's Kremlin-led invasion. Watch | PM Modi, Xi Jinping discuss border issues in Johannesburg × He has also expressed his stance that Crimea, which has been annexed by Russia, will remain under Russian control, dismissing the possibility of reverting to the pre-annexation status quo. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Trial looms for ex-French President Sarkozy over alleged illicit funding from Gaddafi for election campaign

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, on Wednesday (May 17) lost his appeal against a 2021 corruption sentence in a Paris court. However, instead of spending time in jail, the former president will serve his time at his home but will have to wear&nbsp;an electronic tag. While Sarkozy is the first ex-president in post-war France to receive a custodial sentence for corruption, it is not the only legal battle he is currently embroiled in.

Let’s take a look at the life, career and legal woes of the former French president.&nbsp;

<h2>Who is Nicolas Sarkozy?</h2>

The 68-year-old conservative leader who also served as the former interior minister has been plagued by corruption investigations since the end of his five-year term between 2007-2012 as the President of France.&nbsp;

The critics dubbed Sarkozy's presidency as “bling-bling” as his leadership style has been described as brash, celebrity-driven and hyperactive for a role which is typically steeped in tradition and grandeur. This image was further solidified when he married his current wife, former supermodel and singer, Carla Bruni.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/french-court-upholds-3-year-sentence-of-former-president-sarkozy-593326">French court upholds 3-year sentence of former President Sarkozy</a>

The so-called “hyper-president” is also divorced twice and has one son from his second marriage and two sons from his first marriage. Sarkozy had also sought to become the president in 2016, however, the Republicans in France had instead nominated former Prime Minister François Fillon who lost against incumbent President Emmanuel Macron who took office in 2017.&nbsp;

Sarkozy’s political ambitions have long been overshadowed by investigations since he left office in 2012. However, he has managed to retain considerable influence and popularity on the right of French politics.

<h2>‘Wiretapping affair’&nbsp;</h2>

In 2014, Sarkozy was first placed under official investigation for influence peddling after he had left office for which he was later convicted. In France, the case known as the “wiretapping affair” where his wiretapped phone calls showed that he discussed the idea of offering a high-ranking judge a cushy job in Monaco, in exchange for information about a financing investigation.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-french-president-sarkozy-loses-corruption-appeal-prison-sentence-upheld-593252">Former French president Nicholas Sarkozy loses corruption appeal, to wear tag as sentence upheld</a>&nbsp;

At the time, prosecutors alleged that Sarkozy’s lawyer, Thierry Herzog, tried to obtain information from Judge Gilbert Azibert, about a case which involved illicit payments from L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt for Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential election campaign. The case was later dismissed.&nbsp;

However, it resurfaced in 2014 which led to a formal investigation against him. Two of Sarkozy’s phones were wiretapped by investigators a year prior who were looking into money flows from Libya and stumbled upon the secret line used by the former president and his lawyer, Herzog.&nbsp;

<h2>Recently upheld&nbsp;verdict of the case</h2>

In line with these allegations, Sarkozy was convicted in 2021 for corruption and influence peddling a ruling which he appealed and lost on Wednesday. However, his lawyers have since vowed to challenge it at France’s highest court, Cour de Cassation. The court reviews lower court rulings on the grounds of legal or procedural errors, but not factual aspects.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/frances-sarkozy-likely-to-avoid-jail-despite-new-conviction-417167">France's Sarkozy likely to avoid jail despite new conviction</a>

The appeals court in Paris upheld the three-year prison sentence and in line with the previous ruling said two of those years were suspended and that Sarkozy would wear an electronic bracelet for the remaining year. Meanwhile, the former French president’s lawyer maintained that he had committed no wrongdoing and described the ruling as “stupefying.”

“We will not give up this fight,” said defence lawyer Jacqueline Laffont. This comes after a lower court found Sarkozy guilty of trying to bribe a judge after leaving office and peddling influence in exchange for confidential information.&nbsp;

The presiding judge, Sophie Clement in Wednesday’s hearing also upheld convictions against Herzog and Azibert. According to Clement, Herzog’s judgement as a lawyer was clouded because of his friendship with Sarkozy. She also said that Herzog had breached professional codes of conduct by not warning the former president that what he was doing was illegal.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/frances-sarkozy-to-face-trial-for-corruption-influence-peddling-127121">France's Sarkozy to face trial for corruption, influence peddling</a>

The judge also went on to dismiss Sarkozy’s claim that he was not aware of what Herzog and Azibert had discussed citing the wiretapped exchanges and also rejected the former president’s argument that wiretapped conversations cannot be presented as evidence.&nbsp;

<h2>‘Bygmalion affair’: Another campaign financing case</h2>

Another case related to Sarkozy’s campaign finances came to be known as the so-called ‘Bygmalion affair’ for which he was also convicted in 2021 and was handed a one-year prison sentence. The case centred around the accusation that Sarkozy’s party, then known as the UMP, worked with a PR company Bygmalion, to hide the actual cost of his failed 2012 presidential election bid.&nbsp;

As per French laws, candidates are only allowed to spend $24 million. However, Bygmalion provided a series of false invoices for more than $19 million to his party but not the campaign which, according to the prosecutors, effectively enabled Sarkozy’s party to spend over the limit. The former president was among 14 who were to witness a trial in relation to the case.&nbsp;

<h2>Did Sarkozy take money from Gaddafi?</h2>

Investigators who had wiretapped the ex-president’s phones were looking for evidence of money flows from Libya for which Sarkozy may soon face another trial. Earlier this month, prosecutors requested that Sarkozy should face trial over allegations that the Libyan government illegally contributed to his successful 2007 presidential bid.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-france-president-sarkozy-charged-over-libyan-campaign-financing-335737">Former France president Sarkozy charged over Libyan campaign financing</a>

France’s financial crimes prosecutor (PNF) has also called for a trial for 12 others after they allegedly sought millions of euros in financing from the regime of then-Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The allegations were first made public by the late autocrat’s son.&nbsp;

However, Sarkozy has denied any wrongdoing and said some officials from his regime are seeking revenge against him for his decision to send French warplanes during the 2011 Libyan uprising.&nbsp;

Similarly, Claude Guéant who was the former president’s chief of staff and managing Sarkozy’s presidential campaign at the time, said he had “never seen a penny of Libyan financing,” as quoted by BBC, citing Franceinfo website. Along with Sarkozy, his then-head of campaign financing Eric Woerth and former minister Brice Hortefeux have also been accused by the PNF for their alleged involvement in the case.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ex-french-president-nicolas-sarkozy-arrested-over-campaign-financing-36482">Ex-French president Nicolas Sarkozy 'arrested over campaign financing'</a>

The prosecutors have also sought charges including, “concealment of laundering public funds, passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and criminal conspiracy with a view to committing a crime punishable by 10 years in jail.”&nbsp;

In a 2018 interview, Sarkozy said, “There’s not even the smallest inkling of proof,” adding that these allegations had made his life a living hell. A French-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine told French news website Mediapart that in 2006 and 2007, he handed over three suitcases stuffed with cash amounting to $6.2 million from Gaddafi to Sarkozy and Guéant.&nbsp;

<h2>Possible Russia investigation</h2>

In 2021, Sarkozy had also been placed under preliminary investigation for “influence peddling,” in Russia nearly seven years after he left office. According to reports, the former president came under scrutiny for advisory work he undertook for a Russian insurance company.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
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Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, on Wednesday (May 17) lost his appeal against a 2021 corruption sentence in a Paris court. However, instead of spending time in jail, the former president will serve his time at his home but will have to wear an electronic tag.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, on Wednesday (May 17) lost his appeal against a 2021 corruption sentence in a Paris court. However, instead of spending time in jail, the former president will serve his time at his home but will have to wear an electronic tag. While Sarkozy is the first ex-president in post-war France to receive a custodial sentence for corruption, it is not the only legal battle he is currently embroiled in. Let’s take a look at the life, career and legal woes of the former French president. Who is Nicolas Sarkozy? The 68-year-old conservative leader who also served as the former interior minister has been plagued by corruption investigations since the end of his five-year term between 2007-2012 as the President of France. The critics dubbed Sarkozy's presidency as “bling-bling” as his leadership style has been described as brash, celebrity-driven and hyperactive for a role which is typically steeped in tradition and grandeur. This image was further solidified when he married his current wife, former supermodel and singer, Carla Bruni. ALSO WATCH | French court upholds 3-year sentence of former President Sarkozy The so-called “hyper-president” is also divorced twice and has one son from his second marriage and two sons from his first marriage. Sarkozy had also sought to become the president in 2016, however, the Republicans in France had instead nominated former Prime Minister François Fillon who lost against incumbent President Emmanuel Macron who took office in 2017. Sarkozy’s political ambitions have long been overshadowed by investigations since he left office in 2012. However, he has managed to retain considerable influence and popularity on the right of French politics. ‘Wiretapping affair’ In 2014, Sarkozy was first placed under official investigation for influence peddling after he had left office for which he was later convicted. In France, the case known as the “wiretapping affair” where his wiretapped phone calls showed that he discussed the idea of offering a high-ranking judge a cushy job in Monaco, in exchange for information about a financing investigation. ALSO READ | Former French president Nicholas Sarkozy loses corruption appeal, to wear tag as sentence upheld At the time, prosecutors alleged that Sarkozy’s lawyer, Thierry Herzog, tried to obtain information from Judge Gilbert Azibert, about a case which involved illicit payments from L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt for Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential election campaign. The case was later dismissed. However, it resurfaced in 2014 which led to a formal investigation against him. Two of Sarkozy’s phones were wiretapped by investigators a year prior who were looking into money flows from Libya and stumbled upon the secret line used by the former president and his lawyer, Herzog. Recently upheld verdict of the case In line with these allegations, Sarkozy was convicted in 2021 for corruption and influence peddling a ruling which he appealed and lost on Wednesday. However, his lawyers have since vowed to challenge it at France’s highest court, Cour de Cassation. The court reviews lower court rulings on the grounds of legal or procedural errors, but not factual aspects. ALSO READ | France's Sarkozy likely to avoid jail despite new conviction The appeals court in Paris upheld the three-year prison sentence and in line with the previous ruling said two of those years were suspended and that Sarkozy would wear an electronic bracelet for the remaining year. Meanwhile, the former French president’s lawyer maintained that he had committed no wrongdoing and described the ruling as “stupefying.” “We will not give up this fight,” said defence lawyer Jacqueline Laffont. This comes after a lower court found Sarkozy guilty of trying to bribe a judge after leaving office and peddling influence in exchange for confidential information. The presiding judge, Sophie Clement in Wednesday’s hearing also upheld convictions against Herzog and Azibert. According to Clement, Herzog’s judgement as a lawyer was clouded because of his friendship with Sarkozy. She also said that Herzog had breached professional codes of conduct by not warning the former president that what he was doing was illegal. ALSO READ | France's Sarkozy to face trial for corruption, influence peddling The judge also went on to dismiss Sarkozy’s claim that he was not aware of what Herzog and Azibert had discussed citing the wiretapped exchanges and also rejected the former president’s argument that wiretapped conversations cannot be presented as evidence. ‘Bygmalion affair’: Another campaign financing case Another case related to Sarkozy’s campaign finances came to be known as the so-called ‘Bygmalion affair’ for which he was also convicted in 2021 and was handed a one-year prison sentence. The case centred around the accusation that Sarkozy’s party, then known as the UMP, worked with a PR company Bygmalion, to hide the actual cost of his failed 2012 presidential election bid. As per French laws, candidates are only allowed to spend $24 million. However, Bygmalion provided a series of false invoices for more than $19 million to his party but not the campaign which, according to the prosecutors, effectively enabled Sarkozy’s party to spend over the limit. The former president was among 14 who were to witness a trial in relation to the case. Did Sarkozy take money from Gaddafi? Investigators who had wiretapped the ex-president’s phones were looking for evidence of money flows from Libya for which Sarkozy may soon face another trial. Earlier this month, prosecutors requested that Sarkozy should face trial over allegations that the Libyan government illegally contributed to his successful 2007 presidential bid. ALSO READ | Former France president Sarkozy charged over Libyan campaign financing France’s financial crimes prosecutor (PNF) has also called for a trial for 12 others after they allegedly sought millions of euros in financing from the regime of then-Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The allegations were first made public by the late autocrat’s son. However, Sarkozy has denied any wrongdoing and said some officials from his regime are seeking revenge against him for his decision to send French warplanes during the 2011 Libyan uprising. Similarly, Claude Guéant who was the former president’s chief of staff and managing Sarkozy’s presidential campaign at the time, said he had “never seen a penny of Libyan financing,” as quoted by BBC, citing Franceinfo website. Along with Sarkozy, his then-head of campaign financing Eric Woerth and former minister Brice Hortefeux have also been accused by the PNF for their alleged involvement in the case. ALSO READ | Ex-French president Nicolas Sarkozy 'arrested over campaign financing' The prosecutors have also sought charges including, “concealment of laundering public funds, passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and criminal conspiracy with a view to committing a crime punishable by 10 years in jail.” In a 2018 interview, Sarkozy said, “There’s not even the smallest inkling of proof,” adding that these allegations had made his life a living hell. A French-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine told French news website Mediapart that in 2006 and 2007, he handed over three suitcases stuffed with cash amounting to $6.2 million from Gaddafi to Sarkozy and Guéant. Possible Russia investigation In 2021, Sarkozy had also been placed under preliminary investigation for “influence peddling,” in Russia nearly seven years after he left office. According to reports, the former president came under scrutiny for advisory work he undertook for a Russian insurance company. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained | Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his many legal woes

A French appeals court on Wednesday upheld a prison sentence of three years, including two suspended, against former president Nicolas Sarkozy for corruption and influence peddling. The court maintained he should serve a one-year detention sentence at home with an electronic bracelet and banned him from public office for three years over his attempts to secure favours from a judge in a case uncovered by wiretapping.

French court upholds 3-year sentence of former President Sarkozy

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was handed a one-year prison sentence by a Paris court on Thursday after being found guilty of illegal campaign financing over his failed 2012 re-election bid.

Sarkozy, 66, is unlikely to go to jail. He decided to appeal the sentence, a move that in effect suspends it, and the judge said he could serve the sentence at home with an electronic tag.

But the second conviction this year for Sarkozy is a stunning fall from grace for the man who led France from 2007 to 2012 and retains influence among conservatives.

The two convictions could force Sarkozy to play a more discreet role in next year's presidential election. He had not planned to be a candidate but, as a popular figure on the right, he would be expected to support his party's candidate.

Sarkozy's conservative party, prosecutors said, spent nearly double the 22.5 million euros (currently $19.2 million) allowed under electoral law on extravagant campaign rallies and then hired a friendly public relations agency to hide the cost.

Sarkozy has denied wrongdoing. He said he was not involved in the logistics of his campaign for a second term as president or in how money was spent during the election run-up.

"Can you imagine me going into a meeting to discuss the cost of flags?" he told the court in June. "I had too much to do."

"From the moment I was told things were in order, I had no reason to give it more thought."

But the court said Sarkozy was made aware of the overspending, that he did not act on it, and that it was not necessary for him to approve each individual spending to be responsible.

Second conviction

Several others who faces charges were found guilty of fraud over the campaign financing and sentenced to up to 3-1/2 years in jail and hefty fines.

Sarkozy was found guilty in a separate trial in March of trying to bribe a judge and peddle influence in order to obtain confidential information on a judicial inquiry. He also denied any wrongdoing in that case.

The former president was sentenced to three years in jail in that trial - two of which were suspended - but has not spent time in prison yet, while his appeal is pending.

That did not stop would-be presidential candidates vying for the vote of his supporters.

Conservatives Xavier Bertrand, Valerie Pecresse and Michel Barnier - who all hope to be endorsed as the conservatives' candidate - each sent "a message of friendship" to Sarkozy via Twitter, saying they backed his decision to lodge an appeal.

"He knows he can count on me," said Bertrand, who leads his rivals in opinion polls.

The son of a Hungarian immigrant father, Sarkozy debuted in politics as mayor of the wealthy district of Neuilly outside central Paris, before serving as President Jacques Chirac's finance minister.

As president, Sarkozy's high-energy style and abrasive manner polarised voters. His modest attempts at tax and labour reforms and limited success in creating jobs disenchanted both free-marketeers and centrist voters.

Outside France, he brokered a ceasefire to the Russia-Georgia war in 2008, and in 2011 championed a NATO-led military intervention in Libya to support an uprising against its autocratic leader, Muammar Gaddafi.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was handed a one-year prison sentence by a Paris court on Thursday after being found guilty of illegal campaign financing over his failed 2012 re-election bid.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was handed a one-year prison sentence by a Paris court on Thursday after being found guilty of illegal campaign financing over his failed 2012 re-election bid. Sarkozy, 66, is unlikely to go to jail. He decided to appeal the sentence, a move that in effect suspends it, and the judge said he could serve the sentence at home with an electronic tag. But the second conviction this year for Sarkozy is a stunning fall from grace for the man who led France from 2007 to 2012 and retains influence among conservatives. The two convictions could force Sarkozy to play a more discreet role in next year's presidential election. He had not planned to be a candidate but, as a popular figure on the right, he would be expected to support his party's candidate. Sarkozy's conservative party, prosecutors said, spent nearly double the 22.5 million euros (currently $19.2 million) allowed under electoral law on extravagant campaign rallies and then hired a friendly public relations agency to hide the cost. Sarkozy has denied wrongdoing. He said he was not involved in the logistics of his campaign for a second term as president or in how money was spent during the election run-up. "Can you imagine me going into a meeting to discuss the cost of flags?" he told the court in June. "I had too much to do." "From the moment I was told things were in order, I had no reason to give it more thought." But the court said Sarkozy was made aware of the overspending, that he did not act on it, and that it was not necessary for him to approve each individual spending to be responsible. Second conviction Several others who faces charges were found guilty of fraud over the campaign financing and sentenced to up to 3-1/2 years in jail and hefty fines. Sarkozy was found guilty in a separate trial in March of trying to bribe a judge and peddle influence in order to obtain confidential information on a judicial inquiry. He also denied any wrongdoing in that case. The former president was sentenced to three years in jail in that trial - two of which were suspended - but has not spent time in prison yet, while his appeal is pending. That did not stop would-be presidential candidates vying for the vote of his supporters. Conservatives Xavier Bertrand, Valerie Pecresse and Michel Barnier - who all hope to be endorsed as the conservatives' candidate - each sent "a message of friendship" to Sarkozy via Twitter, saying they backed his decision to lodge an appeal. "He knows he can count on me," said Bertrand, who leads his rivals in opinion polls. The son of a Hungarian immigrant father, Sarkozy debuted in politics as mayor of the wealthy district of Neuilly outside central Paris, before serving as President Jacques Chirac's finance minister. As president, Sarkozy's high-energy style and abrasive manner polarised voters. His modest attempts at tax and labour reforms and limited success in creating jobs disenchanted both free-marketeers and centrist voters. Outside France, he brokered a ceasefire to the Russia-Georgia war in 2008, and in 2011 championed a NATO-led military intervention in Libya to support an uprising against its autocratic leader, Muammar Gaddafi.

France's Sarkozy likely to avoid jail despite new conviction

A French court on Thursday convicted former president Nicolas Sarkozy of illegal campaign financing over massive overspending on his 2012 re-election campaign, six months after he was given a jail term for corruption in a separate trial.

Sarkozy, 66, who spent nearly twice the legal limit on his failed bid for a second term in office, will find out his sentence when the judge finishes reading her verdict.

(Developing)

A French court on Thursday convicted former president Nicolas Sarkozy of illegal campaign financing over massive overspending on his 2012 re-election campaign, six months after he was given a jail term for corruption in a separate trial.

A French court on Thursday convicted former president Nicolas Sarkozy of illegal campaign financing over massive overspending on his 2012 re-election campaign, six months after he was given a jail term for corruption in a separate trial. Sarkozy, 66, who spent nearly twice the legal limit on his failed bid for a second term in office, will find out his sentence when the judge finishes reading her verdict. (Developing)

French court convicts ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy over illegal campaign financing

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will find out Thursday whether he faces a second jail term when a court returns its verdict over massive overspending on his 2012 re-election campaign. Watch this report for more details.

France: Nicolas Sarkozy remains popular with right

A French court on Monday convicted former President Nicolas Sarkozy on charges of corruption and influence peddling, handing him a three-year prison sentence of which two years are suspended.

Sarkozy, who led France from 2007 to 2012 and remains influential among conservatives, was accused of offering to help a judge obtain a senior job in Monaco in exchange for inside information on an inquiry into his campaign finances.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-frances-ex-president-nicolas-sarkozy-sentenced-to-jail-367265">WATCH |</a></div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-frances-ex-president-nicolas-sarkozy-sentenced-to-jail-367265/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">Taking into account the two years suspended, the sentence of one year jail means it is unlikely Sarkozy will physically go to prison, a punishment that in France usually applies to jail terms of above two years</div>

During his testimony,&nbsp;Sarkozy&nbsp;said he was the victim of lies and denied ever committing an act of corruption.

"Never. Never abused my influence, alleged or real," he told the court in December. "What right do they have to drag me through the mud like this for six years? Is there no rule of law?"

Prosecutors alleged Sarkozy&nbsp;offered to secure a plum job in Monaco for judge Gilbert Azibert in return for confidential information about an inquiry into accusations that he had accepted illegal payments from L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt for his 2007 presidential campaign.

This came to light, they say, while they were wiretapping conversations between&nbsp;Sarkozy&nbsp;and his lawyer Thierry Herzog after&nbsp;Sarkozy&nbsp;left office, in relation to another investigation into alleged Libyan financing of that 2007 campaign.

Azibert, at the time a magistrate at France's top appeals court for criminal cases and well-informed on the Bettencourt inquiry, did not get the job in Monaco.

Prosecutors are seeking the same punishment for Azibert and Herzog, who are on trial alongside&nbsp;Sarkozy.

Sarkozy's predecessor, Jacques Chirac, is the only other president under France's post-war Fifth Republic to have faced trial after leaving office.

Chirac, who died in 2019, was found guilty in 2011 of presiding over a system of ghost jobs in Paris City Hall for political cronies when he was mayor of the capital. Handed a two-year suspended sentence, Chirac escaped serving time in jail.

A French court on Monday convicted former President Nicolas Sarkozy on charges of corruption and influence peddling, handing him a three-year prison sentence of which two years are suspended.

A French court on Monday convicted former President Nicolas Sarkozy on charges of corruption and influence peddling, handing him a three-year prison sentence of which two years are suspended. Sarkozy, who led France from 2007 to 2012 and remains influential among conservatives, was accused of offering to help a judge obtain a senior job in Monaco in exchange for inside information on an inquiry into his campaign finances. WATCH | Taking into account the two years suspended, the sentence of one year jail means it is unlikely Sarkozy will physically go to prison, a punishment that in France usually applies to jail terms of above two years During his testimony, Sarkozy said he was the victim of lies and denied ever committing an act of corruption. "Never. Never abused my influence, alleged or real," he told the court in December. "What right do they have to drag me through the mud like this for six years? Is there no rule of law?" Prosecutors alleged Sarkozy offered to secure a plum job in Monaco for judge Gilbert Azibert in return for confidential information about an inquiry into accusations that he had accepted illegal payments from L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt for his 2007 presidential campaign. This came to light, they say, while they were wiretapping conversations between Sarkozy and his lawyer Thierry Herzog after Sarkozy left office, in relation to another investigation into alleged Libyan financing of that 2007 campaign. Azibert, at the time a magistrate at France's top appeals court for criminal cases and well-informed on the Bettencourt inquiry, did not get the job in Monaco. Prosecutors are seeking the same punishment for Azibert and Herzog, who are on trial alongside Sarkozy. Sarkozy's predecessor, Jacques Chirac, is the only other president under France's post-war Fifth Republic to have faced trial after leaving office. Chirac, who died in 2019, was found guilty in 2011 of presiding over a system of ghost jobs in Paris City Hall for political cronies when he was mayor of the capital. Handed a two-year suspended sentence, Chirac escaped serving time in jail.

French court convicts former President Nicolas Sarkozy on corruption charges

France's former President Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to 3 years in prison. Why is the sentence historic? What does it mean for Sarkozy and who is Paul Bismuth?

Gravitas: France's Ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy sentenced to jail

The verdict is the latest twist in the tumultuous political career of the 66-year-old who ruled France from 2007 to 2012.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy convicted of corruption

Former French&nbsp;president Nicolas&nbsp;Sarkozy has been charged over&nbsp;financing his 2007 election campaign with money from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, according to&nbsp;prosecutors.

The move made Sarkozy, who ruled from 2007 to 2012 and is still an influential behind-the-scenes player on the political right, the target of an inquiry into alleged cash handovers and wire transfers between Tripoli and Paris in the months before he won power.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sarkozy-mounts-fightback-in-libya-probe-36848">Sarkozy mounts fightback in Libya probe</a>

It marked a dramatic acceleration in an inquiry that had largely faded in the news since it was opened five years ago, shortly after the 63-year-old left office.

Sarkozy, who has persistently denied claims that he accepted millions of euros from Gaddafi, some of it delivered in cash-stuffed suitcases, had&nbsp;vowed to clear his name, even if it takes years.

"We have the right to appeal. I will appeal these judicial restrictions," his lawyer Thierry Herzog told RTL radio, saying he believed the measures were aimed at humiliating the rightwinger.

After two days of questioning in police custody over allegations that first surfaced during a French-led intervention in Libya in 2011, Sarkozy was charged with corruption, illegal campaign financing and concealment of Libyan public money.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/frances-sarkozy-told-he-suspected-of-taking-gaddafi-election-money-36674">France's Sarkozy told he is suspected of taking Gaddafi election money</a>

Judges had barred Sarkozy from travelling to four countries including Libya and forbade him from talking to nine other people caught up in the five-year investigation, including two former ministers.&nbsp;

Among those he is banned from meeting are former interior minister Claude Gueant -- who is suspected of receiving some of the cash -- and former Brice Hortefeux, a close friend who held several senior posts in Sarkozy's administration.

Sarkozy had&nbsp;been released from police custody but put under judicial supervision.&nbsp;In French legal jargon, he was officially "placed under investigation" - a step judicial investigators can take if they have serious grounds for suspecting an offence. Being placed under investigation often but not always leads to trial.

It was the second major investigation for Sarkozy, who also faced charges of illicit campaign spending overruns during his failed re-election bid in 2012.

The latest case concerns accusations by a Franco-Lebanese businessman, Ziad Takieddine, who says he helped funnel 5 million euros ($6 million) from Gaddafi's intelligence chief to Sarkozy's campaign chief ahead of the 2007 election.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been charged over financing his 2007 election campaign with money from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, according to prosecutors.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been charged over financing his 2007 election campaign with money from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, according to prosecutors. The move made Sarkozy, who ruled from 2007 to 2012 and is still an influential behind-the-scenes player on the political right, the target of an inquiry into alleged cash handovers and wire transfers between Tripoli and Paris in the months before he won power. Also read: Sarkozy mounts fightback in Libya probe It marked a dramatic acceleration in an inquiry that had largely faded in the news since it was opened five years ago, shortly after the 63-year-old left office. Sarkozy, who has persistently denied claims that he accepted millions of euros from Gaddafi, some of it delivered in cash-stuffed suitcases, had vowed to clear his name, even if it takes years. "We have the right to appeal. I will appeal these judicial restrictions," his lawyer Thierry Herzog told RTL radio, saying he believed the measures were aimed at humiliating the rightwinger. After two days of questioning in police custody over allegations that first surfaced during a French-led intervention in Libya in 2011, Sarkozy was charged with corruption, illegal campaign financing and concealment of Libyan public money. Also read: France's Sarkozy told he is suspected of taking Gaddafi election money Judges had barred Sarkozy from travelling to four countries including Libya and forbade him from talking to nine other people caught up in the five-year investigation, including two former ministers. Among those he is banned from meeting are former interior minister Claude Gueant -- who is suspected of receiving some of the cash -- and former Brice Hortefeux, a close friend who held several senior posts in Sarkozy's administration. Sarkozy had been released from police custody but put under judicial supervision. In French legal jargon, he was officially "placed under investigation" - a step judicial investigators can take if they have serious grounds for suspecting an offence. Being placed under investigation often but not always leads to trial. It was the second major investigation for Sarkozy, who also faced charges of illicit campaign spending overruns during his failed re-election bid in 2012. The latest case concerns accusations by a Franco-Lebanese businessman, Ziad Takieddine, who says he helped funnel 5 million euros ($6 million) from Gaddafi's intelligence chief to Sarkozy's campaign chief ahead of the 2007 election.

Former France president Sarkozy charged over Libyan campaign financing

With an eye on re-election, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/paris-faces-traffic-chaos-as-metro-workers-strike-over-macrons-pension-reform-249437">France's Emmanuel Macron</a> has signalled a tougher line on immigration, arguing that the government must end its "lax" approach to prevent voters from drifting to the far right.

Setting out his priorities for the second half of his mandate on Monday evening, Macron said that his centrist Republic on the Move (LREM) party risked being seen as "bourgeois" unless it tackled the issue of immigration.

"By claiming to be humanist we are sometimes too lax," he told a meeting of his ministers and ruling party representatives, claiming that France's asylum laws were being "misused" by people-smuggling networks and "people who manipulate" the system.

The question for his three-year-old party, which has struggled to establish a presence in small-town and rural <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/snowden-says-he-hopes-france-will-grant-him-asylum-249728">France</a>, was "whether we want to be a bourgeois party or not," Macron was quoted by party members as telling the meeting.

"The bourgeois have no problem with this (immigration). They don't come up against it. The working classes live with it. For decades the Left didn't want to deal with this problem so the working class migrated to the far right."

"We're like the three little monkeys, we don't want to see," he said, referring to the "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" dictum represented by three monkeys with their hands over their eyes, ears, and mouth.

An Ispos/Sopra Steria poll on divisions in French society published Tuesday showed that 63 per cent of respondents felt there were "too many foreigners in France."

Anti-foreigner sentiment was strongest among working-class respondents, with 88 per cent saying they were too many immigrants.

Sixty-six per cent also said they felt that immigrants did not try hard enough to integrate.

Chasing Le Pen voters

During the 2017 presidential campaign, Macron was fulsome in his praise of the welcome extended by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-france-germany-eu-urge-iran-to-cooperate-with-iaea-on-nuclear-issue-249518">German </a>Chancellor Angela Merkel to over a million Syrian refugees, crediting her and the German people with having "saved our collective dignity."

But since coming to office, he has taken a tough line on so-called economic migrants who leave home in search of better opportunities abroad, drawing a firm distinction between them and refugees fleeing war or persecution.

France last year received a record of 122,743 asylum requests, up 22 per cent compared to 2017.

"The entry flows into Europe have never been so low, and the asylum requests have never been so high," Macron complained on Monday, arguing that France needed a system that was both "more efficient and more humane."

His remarks saw him compared with former right-wing president Nicolas Sarkozy, who also tried to court far-right voters while in office by talking tough on immigration but without significantly changing French laws.

Sarkozy later failed to secure his re-election.

Jerome Sainte-Marie, president of Pollingvox research firm, warned that Macron risked setting a trap for himself.

"Once you have talked about immigration, once you have launched that debate, people expect action," he said.

"Otherwise he will have the same difficulty with voters that Sarkozy had," he said.

French media and opposition parties see his latest remarks as linked to local elections next March and a signal that he is preparing to seek a second term in 2022.

Polls show that since 2017, Macron's core support has shifted from the centre towards the right.

"By sending a signal on immigration a few months before the local elections, he is trying to reassure this important part of his electorate," Sainte-Marie said.

Far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen, whom Macron beat in 2017, was scathing of the president's tough-sounding rhetoric on an issue that has been her party's bread-and-butter for the last three decades.

"For the past two and a half years he has seen nothing and heard nothing" on the misuse of asylum laws, she told BFM television Tuesday.

"Emmanuel Macron is clearly launching into the presidential election," she said.

A Communist member of the French Senate, Eliane Assassi, accused Macron of whipping up fear among voters about immigrants and warned him, referring to the far right, that voters "prefer the original to the copy."

With an eye on re-election, France's Emmanuel Macron has signalled a tougher line on immigration, arguing that the government must end its "lax" approach to prevent voters from drifting to the far right.

With an eye on re-election, France's Emmanuel Macron has signalled a tougher line on immigration, arguing that the government must end its "lax" approach to prevent voters from drifting to the far right. Setting out his priorities for the second half of his mandate on Monday evening, Macron said that his centrist Republic on the Move (LREM) party risked being seen as "bourgeois" unless it tackled the issue of immigration. "By claiming to be humanist we are sometimes too lax," he told a meeting of his ministers and ruling party representatives, claiming that France's asylum laws were being "misused" by people-smuggling networks and "people who manipulate" the system. The question for his three-year-old party, which has struggled to establish a presence in small-town and rural France, was "whether we want to be a bourgeois party or not," Macron was quoted by party members as telling the meeting. "The bourgeois have no problem with this (immigration). They don't come up against it. The working classes live with it. For decades the Left didn't want to deal with this problem so the working class migrated to the far right." "We're like the three little monkeys, we don't want to see," he said, referring to the "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" dictum represented by three monkeys with their hands over their eyes, ears, and mouth. An Ispos/Sopra Steria poll on divisions in French society published Tuesday showed that 63 per cent of respondents felt there were "too many foreigners in France." Anti-foreigner sentiment was strongest among working-class respondents, with 88 per cent saying they were too many immigrants. Sixty-six per cent also said they felt that immigrants did not try hard enough to integrate. Chasing Le Pen voters During the 2017 presidential campaign, Macron was fulsome in his praise of the welcome extended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to over a million Syrian refugees, crediting her and the German people with having "saved our collective dignity." But since coming to office, he has taken a tough line on so-called economic migrants who leave home in search of better opportunities abroad, drawing a firm distinction between them and refugees fleeing war or persecution. France last year received a record of 122,743 asylum requests, up 22 per cent compared to 2017. "The entry flows into Europe have never been so low, and the asylum requests have never been so high," Macron complained on Monday, arguing that France needed a system that was both "more efficient and more humane." His remarks saw him compared with former right-wing president Nicolas Sarkozy, who also tried to court far-right voters while in office by talking tough on immigration but without significantly changing French laws. Sarkozy later failed to secure his re-election. Jerome Sainte-Marie, president of Pollingvox research firm, warned that Macron risked setting a trap for himself. "Once you have talked about immigration, once you have launched that debate, people expect action," he said. "Otherwise he will have the same difficulty with voters that Sarkozy had," he said. French media and opposition parties see his latest remarks as linked to local elections next March and a signal that he is preparing to seek a second term in 2022. Polls show that since 2017, Macron's core support has shifted from the centre towards the right. "By sending a signal on immigration a few months before the local elections, he is trying to reassure this important part of his electorate," Sainte-Marie said. Far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen, whom Macron beat in 2017, was scathing of the president's tough-sounding rhetoric on an issue that has been her party's bread-and-butter for the last three decades. "For the past two and a half years he has seen nothing and heard nothing" on the misuse of asylum laws, she told BFM television Tuesday. "Emmanuel Macron is clearly launching into the presidential election," she said. A Communist member of the French Senate, Eliane Assassi, accused Macron of whipping up fear among voters about immigrants and warned him, referring to the far right, that voters "prefer the original to the copy."

Bourgeois have no problem with immigration, they don't come up against it: Macron

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will face trial for corruption and influence peddling. Watch this video to know more.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy to face trial

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will face trial over charges he misused his influence to secure leaked details of an inquiry into alleged irregularities in his 2007 election campaign, France's financial prosecutor said Thursday.

Sarkozy's lawyers said he would appeal the decision to send him to court, initially reported by the daily Le Monde.

The case came about after investigators used phone-taps to examine separate allegations that late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi funded Sarkozy's campaign and began to suspect he had kept tabs on a separate case through a network of informants.

The development came just over a week after Sarkozy was told he was being formally treated as a suspect in the election campaign investigation.

Sarkozy was president from 2007 to 2012 but was defeated by Socialist Francois Hollande when he ran for re-election. He has since faced a series of investigations into alleged corruption, fraud, favoritism and campaign-funding irregularities.

Sarkozy’s lawyers had previously argued that magistrates investigating the alleged secret Libyan funding exceeded their powers and went on a “fishing expedition” by tapping his conversations with them between September 2013 and March 2014, breaching lawyer-client privilege.

Based on the intercepts, Sarkozy is accused of having discussed offering a promotion to a prosecutor in return for tip-offs on an investigation into accusations that his former party treasurer and others exploited the mental frailty of France’s richest woman, Liliane Bettencourt, to extract political donations in cash.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will face trial over charges he misused his influence to secure leaked details of an inquiry into alleged irregularities in his 2007 election campaign, France's financial prosecutor said Thursday

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will face trial over charges he misused his influence to secure leaked details of an inquiry into alleged irregularities in his 2007 election campaign, France's financial prosecutor said Thursday. Sarkozy's lawyers said he would appeal the decision to send him to court, initially reported by the daily Le Monde. The case came about after investigators used phone-taps to examine separate allegations that late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi funded Sarkozy's campaign and began to suspect he had kept tabs on a separate case through a network of informants. The development came just over a week after Sarkozy was told he was being formally treated as a suspect in the election campaign investigation. Sarkozy was president from 2007 to 2012 but was defeated by Socialist Francois Hollande when he ran for re-election. He has since faced a series of investigations into alleged corruption, fraud, favoritism and campaign-funding irregularities. Sarkozy’s lawyers had previously argued that magistrates investigating the alleged secret Libyan funding exceeded their powers and went on a “fishing expedition” by tapping his conversations with them between September 2013 and March 2014, breaching lawyer-client privilege. Based on the intercepts, Sarkozy is accused of having discussed offering a promotion to a prosecutor in return for tip-offs on an investigation into accusations that his former party treasurer and others exploited the mental frailty of France’s richest woman, Liliane Bettencourt, to extract political donations in cash.

France's Sarkozy to face trial for corruption, influence peddling

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy will appeal court restrictions imposed on him after he was charged with financing his 2007 election campaign with money from late Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi, his lawyer said Friday.

After charging him on Wednesday, judges barred Sarkozy from travelling to four countries including Libya and forbade him from talking to nine other people caught up in the five-year investigation, including two former ministers.

Sarkozy, who has persistently denied claims that he accepted millions of euros from Kadhafi, some of it delivered in cash-stuffed suitcases, has vowed to clear his name, even if it takes years.

&quot;We have the right to appeal. I will appeal these judicial restrictions,&quot; his lawyer Thierry Herzog told RTL radio, saying he believed the measures were aimed at humiliating the rightwinger, who served as president from 2007 to 2012.

After two days of questioning in police custody over allegations that first surfaced during a French-led intervention in Libya in 2011, Sarkozy was charged with corruption, illegal campaign financing and concealment of Libyan public money.

Among those he is banned from meeting are former interior minister Claude Gueant -- who is suspected of receiving some of the cash -- and former Brice Hortefeux, a close friend who held several senior posts in Sarkozy&#39;s administration.

On Thursday evening, Sarkozy went on prime-time television to deliver a forceful point-by-point rebuttal of the case against him.

&quot;It might take me one, two, 10 years but I&#39;ll smash this group (of accusers) and will restore my honour,&quot; he said, shaking with anger.&nbsp;

Never betrayed the French&nbsp;

&quot;I never betrayed the confidence of the French,&quot; he said, claiming he was the victim of a revenge campaign by &quot;a group of killers&quot; in Kadhafi&#39;s regime.

Herzog noted that Sarkozy had already been charged before in another campaign financing case -- only for the charges to be later dropped.

&quot;It will be the same in this affair,&quot; he vowed.

The allegations that Sarkozy took money from Kadhafi -- whom he welcomed to Paris shortly after his election with much pomp but later helped topple -- are the most serious out of several investigations that have dogged him since he left office.

The claims first emerged in 2011, as NATO-backed forces were preparing to intervene in support of rebels seeking to end Kadhafi&#39;s tyrannical 41-year rule.

In an interview with the Euronews network, Kadhafi&#39;s son Seif al-Islam said Sarkozy must &quot;give back the money he took from Libya to finance his electoral campaign&quot;.

French investigative website Mediapart followed up in 2012 with a document allegedly signed by Libya&#39;s intelligence chief showing that Kadhafi agreed to give Sarkozy up to 50 million euros ($62 million).

Sarkozy maintains the document is a fake, but the courts have ruled it can be used as evidence.

Very strong elements

The investigation is also looking into claims by Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, who says he delivered suitcases stuffed with a total of five million euros to Sarkozy and his then chief of staff Gueant in 2006 and 2007.

Sarkozy is already charged in two separate cases, one relating to fake invoices devised to mask overspending on his failed 2012 re-election campaign and another for alleged influence peddling.

He has accused the French judiciary, with which he had a fraught relationship while in office, of hounding him -- accusations rejected by most French media.

&quot;Nobody can prejudge the outcome of the investigation. But for three seasoned judges to take the responsibility of charging him on these grounds, they must, at the least, be very strong elements,&quot; Le Monde wrote in an editorial Friday.

In 2016, Sarkozy attempted to make a comeback but crashed out in the first round of a primary to pick the conservative presidential nominee.

He is not the first ex-president to be charged with corruption -- his conservative predecessor Jacques Chirac was given a two-year suspended sentence in 2011 for embezzlement and misuse of public funds during his time as mayor of Paris.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy will appeal court restrictions imposed on him after he was charged with financing his 2007 election campaign with money from late Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi, his lawyer said Friday

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy will appeal court restrictions imposed on him after he was charged with financing his 2007 election campaign with money from late Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi, his lawyer said Friday. After charging him on Wednesday, judges barred Sarkozy from travelling to four countries including Libya and forbade him from talking to nine other people caught up in the five-year investigation, including two former ministers. Sarkozy, who has persistently denied claims that he accepted millions of euros from Kadhafi, some of it delivered in cash-stuffed suitcases, has vowed to clear his name, even if it takes years. "We have the right to appeal. I will appeal these judicial restrictions," his lawyer Thierry Herzog told RTL radio, saying he believed the measures were aimed at humiliating the rightwinger, who served as president from 2007 to 2012. After two days of questioning in police custody over allegations that first surfaced during a French-led intervention in Libya in 2011, Sarkozy was charged with corruption, illegal campaign financing and concealment of Libyan public money. Among those he is banned from meeting are former interior minister Claude Gueant -- who is suspected of receiving some of the cash -- and former Brice Hortefeux, a close friend who held several senior posts in Sarkozy's administration. On Thursday evening, Sarkozy went on prime-time television to deliver a forceful point-by-point rebuttal of the case against him. "It might take me one, two, 10 years but I'll smash this group (of accusers) and will restore my honour," he said, shaking with anger. Never betrayed the French "I never betrayed the confidence of the French," he said, claiming he was the victim of a revenge campaign by "a group of killers" in Kadhafi's regime. Herzog noted that Sarkozy had already been charged before in another campaign financing case -- only for the charges to be later dropped. "It will be the same in this affair," he vowed. The allegations that Sarkozy took money from Kadhafi -- whom he welcomed to Paris shortly after his election with much pomp but later helped topple -- are the most serious out of several investigations that have dogged him since he left office. The claims first emerged in 2011, as NATO-backed forces were preparing to intervene in support of rebels seeking to end Kadhafi's tyrannical 41-year rule. In an interview with the Euronews network, Kadhafi's son Seif al-Islam said Sarkozy must "give back the money he took from Libya to finance his electoral campaign". French investigative website Mediapart followed up in 2012 with a document allegedly signed by Libya's intelligence chief showing that Kadhafi agreed to give Sarkozy up to 50 million euros ($62 million). Sarkozy maintains the document is a fake, but the courts have ruled it can be used as evidence. Very strong elements The investigation is also looking into claims by Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, who says he delivered suitcases stuffed with a total of five million euros to Sarkozy and his then chief of staff Gueant in 2006 and 2007. Sarkozy is already charged in two separate cases, one relating to fake invoices devised to mask overspending on his failed 2012 re-election campaign and another for alleged influence peddling. He has accused the French judiciary, with which he had a fraught relationship while in office, of hounding him -- accusations rejected by most French media. "Nobody can prejudge the outcome of the investigation. But for three seasoned judges to take the responsibility of charging him on these grounds, they must, at the least, be very strong elements," Le Monde wrote in an editorial Friday. In 2016, Sarkozy attempted to make a comeback but crashed out in the first round of a primary to pick the conservative presidential nominee. He is not the first ex-president to be charged with corruption -- his conservative predecessor Jacques Chirac was given a two-year suspended sentence in 2011 for embezzlement and misuse of public funds during his time as mayor of Paris.

Sarkozy mounts fightback in Libya probe

French former president Nicolas Sarkozy was told after two days in custody on Wednesday that he is being formally treated as a suspect as magistrates investigate claims his 2007 election campaign got funding from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The move made Sarkozy - who ruled from 2007 to 2012 and is still an influential behind-the-scenes player on the political right - the target of an inquiry into alleged cash handovers and wire transfers between Tripoli and Paris in the months before he won power.

It marked a dramatic acceleration in an inquiry that had largely faded in the news since it was opened five years ago, shortly after the 63-year-old left office.

Sarkozy has now been released from police custody but put under judicial supervision.

In French legal jargon, he was officially &quot;placed under investigation&quot; - a step judicial investigators can take if they have serious grounds for suspecting an offence. Being placed under investigation often but not always leads to trial.

The investigation will now focus on suspected offences that include passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and concealing the misuse of Libyan public funds, an official at the judiciary said on condition of anonymity, the standard way of communicating on such matters in France.

It is the second major investigation for Sarkozy, who also faced charges of illicit campaign spending overruns during his failed re-election bid in 2012.

The latest case concerns accusations by a Franco-Lebanese businessman, Ziad Takieddine, who says he helped funnel 5 million euros ($6 million) from Gaddafi&#39;s intelligence chief to Sarkozy&#39;s campaign chief ahead of the 2007 election.

Sarkozy himself has not commented publicly since he first answered a police summons for questioning on Tuesday. He has in the past dismissed the allegations as &quot;grotesque&quot; and described them as a &quot;manipulation&quot;. The source in the judiciary said he had denied any wrongdoing during questioning.

The inquiry began in 2013, after investigative website Mediapart published Takieddine&#39;s allegations.

In an interview with Lebanon&#39;s L&#39;Orient du Jour newspaper published on Tuesday, Takieddine said he acted as an intermediary between France and Libya during the time that Sarkozy served as interior minister, before his election bid.

Five months after Sarkozy was elected president, Gaddafi visited him in Paris, on his first state visit to a Western capital in decades. The eccentric Libyan leader pitched a Bedouin-style tent near the Elysee Palace.

Later, Sarkozy became one of the chief advocates of the NATO-led campaign against Gaddafi that resulted in the dictator&#39;s overthrow and killing by rebels in 2011.

Sarkozy, once branded a &quot;bling-bling&quot; president because of a penchant for flashy behaviour, has been dogged for years by political scandals, but none has led to a conviction.

He is not the first French president to be questioned by police after leaving office.

After leaving office, his predecessor, Jacques Chirac, was convicted in 2011 of misusing public funds to maintain political friends in phantom jobs - making him the first French head of state to be convicted of a crime since Nazi collaborator Marshall Philippe Petain in 1945.

Sarkozy has now been released from police custody but put under judicial supervision.

French former president Nicolas Sarkozy was told after two days in custody on Wednesday that he is being formally treated as a suspect as magistrates investigate claims his 2007 election campaign got funding from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The move made Sarkozy - who ruled from 2007 to 2012 and is still an influential behind-the-scenes player on the political right - the target of an inquiry into alleged cash handovers and wire transfers between Tripoli and Paris in the months before he won power. It marked a dramatic acceleration in an inquiry that had largely faded in the news since it was opened five years ago, shortly after the 63-year-old left office. Sarkozy has now been released from police custody but put under judicial supervision. In French legal jargon, he was officially "placed under investigation" - a step judicial investigators can take if they have serious grounds for suspecting an offence. Being placed under investigation often but not always leads to trial. The investigation will now focus on suspected offences that include passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and concealing the misuse of Libyan public funds, an official at the judiciary said on condition of anonymity, the standard way of communicating on such matters in France. It is the second major investigation for Sarkozy, who also faced charges of illicit campaign spending overruns during his failed re-election bid in 2012. The latest case concerns accusations by a Franco-Lebanese businessman, Ziad Takieddine, who says he helped funnel 5 million euros ($6 million) from Gaddafi's intelligence chief to Sarkozy's campaign chief ahead of the 2007 election. Sarkozy himself has not commented publicly since he first answered a police summons for questioning on Tuesday. He has in the past dismissed the allegations as "grotesque" and described them as a "manipulation". The source in the judiciary said he had denied any wrongdoing during questioning. The inquiry began in 2013, after investigative website Mediapart published Takieddine's allegations. In an interview with Lebanon's L'Orient du Jour newspaper published on Tuesday, Takieddine said he acted as an intermediary between France and Libya during the time that Sarkozy served as interior minister, before his election bid. Five months after Sarkozy was elected president, Gaddafi visited him in Paris, on his first state visit to a Western capital in decades. The eccentric Libyan leader pitched a Bedouin-style tent near the Elysee Palace. Later, Sarkozy became one of the chief advocates of the NATO-led campaign against Gaddafi that resulted in the dictator's overthrow and killing by rebels in 2011. Sarkozy, once branded a "bling-bling" president because of a penchant for flashy behaviour, has been dogged for years by political scandals, but none has led to a conviction. He is not the first French president to be questioned by police after leaving office. After leaving office, his predecessor, Jacques Chirac, was convicted in 2011 of misusing public funds to maintain political friends in phantom jobs - making him the first French head of state to be convicted of a crime since Nazi collaborator Marshall Philippe Petain in 1945.

France's Sarkozy told he is suspected of taking Gaddafi election money

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is in custody over an investigation into campaign funding, sources claim.

He is to be questioned as part of a probe into suspected irregularities over his election campaign financing, according to an official in the French judiciary.

The probe related to alleged Libyan funding for Sarkozy&#39;s 2007 campaign, Le Monde newspaper reported.

A lawyer for Sarkozy could not be reached immediately for comment.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is being held in police custody over campaign financing, according to reports.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is in custody over an investigation into campaign funding, sources claim. He is to be questioned as part of a probe into suspected irregularities over his election campaign financing, according to an official in the French judiciary. The probe related to alleged Libyan funding for Sarkozy's 2007 campaign, Le Monde newspaper reported. A lawyer for Sarkozy could not be reached immediately for comment.

Ex-French president Nicolas Sarkozy 'arrested over campaign financing'

Former French president Nicolas&nbsp;Sarkozy&nbsp;is to face trial on charges of illegally financing his failed 2012 re-election bid, causing more trouble for the country&#39;s rightwing Republicans party.

The prosecution claims&nbsp;Sarkozy&nbsp;spent nearly double the legal limit of 22.5 million euros ($24 million) on his lavish campaign, using false billing from a public relations firm called Bygmalion.

A legal source said Tuesday that one of two investigating magistrates in charge of the case, Serge Tournaire, had decided on February 3 that the case should go to trial.

Sarkozy&#39;s lawyer announced plans to appeal the decision.

Bygmalion charged 15.2 million euros in campaign events to&nbsp;Sarkozy&#39;s rightwing party -- which at the time was called the UMP, but has since been renamed the Republicans -- instead of billing the president&#39;s campaign.&nbsp;

The affair came to light in 2014 but investigators have yet to determine who ordered the fraud.

Sarkozy, who failed in a presidential comeback bid last year, told investigators last year he knew nothing about the billing and put the responsibility squarely on Bygmalion and the UMP.

Only one other president -- Jacques Chirac -- has been tried in France&#39;s Fifth Republic, which was founded in 1958. He was give a two-year suspended jail term in 2011 over a fake job scandal.

News of the trial comes as the Republicans&#39; candidate for this year&#39;s presidential election, Francois Fillon, faces his own scandal over parliamentary jobs for his family.

Fillon apologised on Monday for employing his wife over 15 years as an aide -- which is legal -- but continued to deny the more serious allegations that she barely worked for her average monthly salary of around 3,700 euros.

Failed comeback

The son of a Hungarian immigrant father,&nbsp;Sarkozy&nbsp;was nicknamed the &quot;bling-bling&quot; president for his flashy displays of wealth.&nbsp;

His trial will focus on whether he himself caused the over-spending in 2012 by demanding that additional rallies be organised towards the end of his campaign, even though they were bound to blow the budget.&nbsp;

The judicial source said he was accused of having ignored two warnings from advisors in March and April 2012 about his spending, which came to &quot;at least 42.8 million euros&quot;.

The divisive 62-year-old rightwinger faces up to a year in a prison and a fine of 3,750 euros if convicted.

He could yet be spared trial, however, given that the second investigating magistrate in the case disagreed that&nbsp;Sarkozy&nbsp;be put in the dock.

Thirteen other people will be tried alongside him on charges ranging from fraud to illegal campaign financing, including Bygmalion&#39;s management and Jerome Lavrilleux, deputy manager of&nbsp;Sarkozy&#39;s lavish 2012 campaign. &nbsp;

Lavrilleux and Bygmalion executives have acknowledged the existence of fraud and false accounting.&nbsp;

Mass rallies

While the so-called Bygmalion case is the most pressing,&nbsp;Sarkozy&nbsp;has been fighting legal problems on several fronts.

He is charged with corruption and influence peddling for allegedly offering to help a judge swing a plum retirement job in return from secret information about another case.

He has also been accused by former members of Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi&#39;s regime of accepting millions in cash towards his first presidential campaign in 2007 from Kadhafi -- claims he has vehemently denied.&nbsp;

After retiring from politics following his 2012 defeat by the Socialist Party&#39;s Francois Hollande, he returned to take the helm of the Republicans and sought the party&#39;s presidential nod in this year&#39;s election.

In a surprise result, he was eliminated in November in the first round of a primary contest, trailing the eventual winner, Fillon, and another ex-premier Alain Juppe.

(AFP)

The prosecution claims?Sarkozy?spent nearly double the legal limit of 22.5 million euros ($24 million) on his campaign

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is to face trial on charges of illegally financing his failed 2012 re-election bid, causing more trouble for the country's rightwing Republicans party. The prosecution claims Sarkozy spent nearly double the legal limit of 22.5 million euros ($24 million) on his lavish campaign, using false billing from a public relations firm called Bygmalion. A legal source said Tuesday that one of two investigating magistrates in charge of the case, Serge Tournaire, had decided on February 3 that the case should go to trial. Sarkozy's lawyer announced plans to appeal the decision. Bygmalion charged 15.2 million euros in campaign events to Sarkozy's rightwing party -- which at the time was called the UMP, but has since been renamed the Republicans -- instead of billing the president's campaign. The affair came to light in 2014 but investigators have yet to determine who ordered the fraud. Sarkozy, who failed in a presidential comeback bid last year, told investigators last year he knew nothing about the billing and put the responsibility squarely on Bygmalion and the UMP. Only one other president -- Jacques Chirac -- has been tried in France's Fifth Republic, which was founded in 1958. He was give a two-year suspended jail term in 2011 over a fake job scandal. News of the trial comes as the Republicans' candidate for this year's presidential election, Francois Fillon, faces his own scandal over parliamentary jobs for his family. Fillon apologised on Monday for employing his wife over 15 years as an aide -- which is legal -- but continued to deny the more serious allegations that she barely worked for her average monthly salary of around 3,700 euros. Failed comeback The son of a Hungarian immigrant father, Sarkozy was nicknamed the "bling-bling" president for his flashy displays of wealth. His trial will focus on whether he himself caused the over-spending in 2012 by demanding that additional rallies be organised towards the end of his campaign, even though they were bound to blow the budget. The judicial source said he was accused of having ignored two warnings from advisors in March and April 2012 about his spending, which came to "at least 42.8 million euros". The divisive 62-year-old rightwinger faces up to a year in a prison and a fine of 3,750 euros if convicted. He could yet be spared trial, however, given that the second investigating magistrate in the case disagreed that Sarkozy be put in the dock. Thirteen other people will be tried alongside him on charges ranging from fraud to illegal campaign financing, including Bygmalion's management and Jerome Lavrilleux, deputy manager of Sarkozy's lavish 2012 campaign. Lavrilleux and Bygmalion executives have acknowledged the existence of fraud and false accounting. Mass rallies While the so-called Bygmalion case is the most pressing, Sarkozy has been fighting legal problems on several fronts. He is charged with corruption and influence peddling for allegedly offering to help a judge swing a plum retirement job in return from secret information about another case. He has also been accused by former members of Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi's regime of accepting millions in cash towards his first presidential campaign in 2007 from Kadhafi -- claims he has vehemently denied. After retiring from politics following his 2012 defeat by the Socialist Party's Francois Hollande, he returned to take the helm of the Republicans and sought the party's presidential nod in this year's election. In a surprise result, he was eliminated in November in the first round of a primary contest, trailing the eventual winner, Fillon, and another ex-premier Alain Juppe. (AFP)

France: Ex-president Sarkozy to be tried for 2012 re-election bid

Former president Nicolas Sarkozy has been knocked out of the French right-wing primary.

Sarkozy stood third in the primary, behind two former prime ministers Francois Fillon and Alain Juppe.

Sarkozy won just 23 per cent of the vote, four percentage points behind Juppe and 21&nbsp;behind Fillon.

&quot;I did not manage to convince the voters,&quot; Sarkozy said in a speech to supporters after he was beaten.

The top two candidates will contend in next Sunday&#39;s run-off.

The winner will take on Le Pen, as the governing socialist party has been roiled by infighting and incriminations.

Fillon, 62, enjoyed a late surge in voter intentions after Juppe, 71, enjoyed frontrunner status for two months, followed by 61-year-old Sarkozy.

After the defeat, Sarkozy announced he would support Fillon as his political choices were similar to his. Fillon served as prime minister under Sarkozy.

Bling bling to bust

Sarkozy tried to bury the &quot;bling-bling&quot; image of his 2007-12 presidency by casting himself as a defender of the &quot;down-and-outs against the elites&quot;.

His taste for the high life -- he is married to former top model Carla Bruni -- and failure to make good on many of his promises had relegated him to a one-term presidency after he lost to Socialist Francois Hollande in 2012.

In his comeback bid, Sarkozy did not shrink from controversy, sharpening his anti-immigrant rhetoric after the Bastille Day truck massacre in Nice that claimed 86 lives.

The son of a Hungarian immigrant drew a line in the sand by saying in September: &quot;Once you become French, your ancestors are the Gauls.&quot;

The remarks appealed to the base of the Republicans party but alienated the moderate right and centre while appalling the left.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Francois Fillon, who served as prime minister under Sarkozy, won the first round of the right-wing primary

Former president Nicolas Sarkozy has been knocked out of the French right-wing primary. Sarkozy stood third in the primary, behind two former prime ministers Francois Fillon and Alain Juppe. Sarkozy won just 23 per cent of the vote, four percentage points behind Juppe and 21 behind Fillon. "I did not manage to convince the voters," Sarkozy said in a speech to supporters after he was beaten. The top two candidates will contend in next Sunday's run-off. The winner will take on Le Pen, as the governing socialist party has been roiled by infighting and incriminations. Fillon, 62, enjoyed a late surge in voter intentions after Juppe, 71, enjoyed frontrunner status for two months, followed by 61-year-old Sarkozy. After the defeat, Sarkozy announced he would support Fillon as his political choices were similar to his. Fillon served as prime minister under Sarkozy. Bling bling to bust Sarkozy tried to bury the "bling-bling" image of his 2007-12 presidency by casting himself as a defender of the "down-and-outs against the elites". His taste for the high life -- he is married to former top model Carla Bruni -- and failure to make good on many of his promises had relegated him to a one-term presidency after he lost to Socialist Francois Hollande in 2012. In his comeback bid, Sarkozy did not shrink from controversy, sharpening his anti-immigrant rhetoric after the Bastille Day truck massacre in Nice that claimed 86 lives. The son of a Hungarian immigrant drew a line in the sand by saying in September: "Once you become French, your ancestors are the Gauls." The remarks appealed to the base of the Republicans party but alienated the moderate right and centre while appalling the left. (WION with inputs from AFP)

France: Sarkozy knocked out of presidential race

French President Francois Hollande has confirmed the plans to dismantle the migrant camp in Calais in northern France and relocating thousands refugees living there to reception centres across the country, international news agency AFP reported today.&nbsp; 
 
During a visit to France&#39;s one of the 164 reception centres, Hollande said that the conditions inside the camp &ldquo;are not acceptable, especially for the people who fled war to live there&rdquo;.&nbsp; 
 
Stressing that France should show that it is capable of being &quot;dignified, humane and responsible&rdquo; when it comes to treating refugees, he said they could not have such camps in their country. He will pay the camp a visit on Monday.&nbsp; 
 
The &ldquo;Jungle&rdquo;, as the camp is notoriously known, is home to as many as 9,000 refugees. The southern half of the camp was brought down in February and March this year but its population has since then doubled, according to media reports.&nbsp; 
 
Several media reports also point out that reception and orientation centres across the country will accommodate asylum-seekers for over five months while their cases are studied by the authorities. Those not seeking asylum will be deported.&nbsp; 
 
Pressure from the Right wing 
&nbsp; 
Pressure from conservative predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy and a far-right leader Marine Le Pen is pushing Hollande to take an adamant stand on the issue of migrants, AFP reported today.&nbsp; 
 
The international news agency observes that &quot;Illegal migration&quot; has &quot;plagued France under Hollande&#39;s four-year-long tenure&quot;, prompting the authorities to step up measures.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, Sarkozy, who is bracing up for a comeback as the president, said that once immigrants are granted citizenship &ldquo;they should live like the French&rdquo;.&nbsp; 
 
German chancellor Angela Merkel has also said that Europe should work out a deal with the third-world countries to send back the migrants who &ldquo;do not qualify for asylum&rdquo;.&nbsp; 
 
The decision to dispatch refugees to orientation centres has sparked protests among the far-right conservative leaders who fear &ldquo;graver consequences&rdquo; of keeping refugees in their country.&nbsp; 
 
According to a UN report, more than 300,000 refugees have crossed the Mediterranean this year with thousands drowning in the attempt.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

The President said that the conditions inside the camp are 'unacceptable, especially for people who have fled the war to live there'

French President Francois Hollande has confirmed the plans to dismantle the migrant camp in Calais in northern France and relocating thousands refugees living there to reception centres across the country, international news agency AFP reported today. During a visit to France's one of the 164 reception centres, Hollande said that the conditions inside the camp “are not acceptable, especially for the people who fled war to live there”. Stressing that France should show that it is capable of being "dignified, humane and responsible” when it comes to treating refugees, he said they could not have such camps in their country. He will pay the camp a visit on Monday. The “Jungle”, as the camp is notoriously known, is home to as many as 9,000 refugees. The southern half of the camp was brought down in February and March this year but its population has since then doubled, according to media reports. Several media reports also point out that reception and orientation centres across the country will accommodate asylum-seekers for over five months while their cases are studied by the authorities. Those not seeking asylum will be deported. Pressure from the Right wing Pressure from conservative predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy and a far-right leader Marine Le Pen is pushing Hollande to take an adamant stand on the issue of migrants, AFP reported today. The international news agency observes that "Illegal migration" has "plagued France under Hollande's four-year-long tenure", prompting the authorities to step up measures. Meanwhile, Sarkozy, who is bracing up for a comeback as the president, said that once immigrants are granted citizenship “they should live like the French”. German chancellor Angela Merkel has also said that Europe should work out a deal with the third-world countries to send back the migrants who “do not qualify for asylum”. The decision to dispatch refugees to orientation centres has sparked protests among the far-right conservative leaders who fear “graver consequences” of keeping refugees in their country. According to a UN report, more than 300,000 refugees have crossed the Mediterranean this year with thousands drowning in the attempt. (WION with inputs from agencies)

French President Francois Hollande vows to dismantle Calais migrant camp, relocate refugees

Former French leader Nicolas Sarkozy launched a fresh bid today to win back the presidency, announcing he would seek the nomination of his centre-right party to run in next year&#39;s election. 
 
The pugnacious 61-year-old conservative, who was deeply unpopular by the end of his five years as president, had made no secret of his ambition to reconquer the top office. 
 
&quot;I have decided to be a candidate in the 2017 presidential election,&quot; Sarkozy, who was voted out of office in 2012, wrote in the foreword to a new book &quot;Tout pour la France&quot; (All for France) due out later this week. 
 
&quot;France demands that you give her your all. I feel I have the strength to lead the fight at such a turbulent moment in our history,&quot; he wrote in the book extract seen by AFP, alluding to the string of terror attacks that have rocked the country in the past year and a half. 
 
His aides told AFP he would be stepping down Monday as the leader of the Republicans party to focus on his campaign. 
 
&quot;This book is the starting point,&quot; Sarkozy tweeted, together with a link to the foreword. &quot;The next five years will be filled with danger but also with hope,&quot; he wrote. 
 
Sarkozy listed five main challenges in the years ahead: keeping promises made to the nation, defending national identity, restoring lost competitiveness, enforcing state authority and striving &quot;to restore confidence and hope in the future&quot;. 
 
&#39;Minority blackmail&#39; 
 
His announcement that he will seek his party&#39;s nomination at a primary in November comes in the midst of a resurgent debate over the place of Islam in French society, encapsulated in the row over the Islamic &quot;burkini&quot; swimsuit. 
 
Sarkozy said France&#39;s &quot;principal battle&quot; was over how &quot;to defend our lifestyle without being tempted to cut ourselves off from the rest of the world&quot;. 
 
The opposition leader, who has repeatedly dismissed socialist President Francois Hollande as weak, said he would also restore authority in neighbourhoods where he said &quot;minorities are successfully blackmailing the current authorities&quot;. 
 
The politician, who was defeated in his bid for reelection in 2012 after conducting a campaign seen by many in his own camp as too right-wing, faces several challengers for the conservative nomination. His chief rival, popular former premier and Bordeaux mayor Alain Juppe who is seen as a moderate, is the favourite to win the nod. 
 
But Juppe&#39;s lead in opinion polls has shrunk in recent weeks as Sarkozy steps up his rhetoric on Islamist extremists and immigration in the wake of last month&#39;s massacre in Nice. 
 
Legal woes 
 
&quot;War has been declared on us,&quot; Sarkozy said in an interview with Valeurs Actuelles magazine in mid-August. 
 
&quot;The barbarians who are attacking us believe we are weak,&quot; he said, calling for a &quot;merciless&quot; response. 
 
Sarkozy has already won the support of a Republicans heavyweight in the shape of Christian Estrosi, president of the southern region that includes Marseille. 
 
&quot;He is the best candidate,&quot; Estrosi told the Journal de Dimanche yesterday. 
 
If Sarkozy wins, he could face a rematch against Hollande, who has said he too has the &quot;desire&quot; for a second term, despite opinion polls overwhelmingly showing the French wanting neither man as their leader. During his term in office, Hollande has surpassed Sarkozy to become the most unpopular president in post-war France. 
 
Sarkozy would also face far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen, who is tipped to make it to a second round of voting. 
 
The man known as &quot;President Bling-Bling&quot; for his flashy lifestyle and cosy ties with tycoons while in office, never digested his 2012 defeat by Hollande, whom he had written off as &quot;useless.&quot; After telling the French before his defeat they would never hear from him if vanquished, Sarkozy made a comeback to frontline politics in 2014. 
 
And a host of legal troubles has failed to dent his ambition of returning to the Elysee Palace. 
 
(AFP)

The 61-year-old said he would restore authority in neighbourhoods where 'minorities are successfully blackmailing the current authorities'

Former French leader Nicolas Sarkozy launched a fresh bid today to win back the presidency, announcing he would seek the nomination of his centre-right party to run in next year's election. The pugnacious 61-year-old conservative, who was deeply unpopular by the end of his five years as president, had made no secret of his ambition to reconquer the top office. "I have decided to be a candidate in the 2017 presidential election," Sarkozy, who was voted out of office in 2012, wrote in the foreword to a new book "Tout pour la France" (All for France) due out later this week. "France demands that you give her your all. I feel I have the strength to lead the fight at such a turbulent moment in our history," he wrote in the book extract seen by AFP, alluding to the string of terror attacks that have rocked the country in the past year and a half. His aides told AFP he would be stepping down Monday as the leader of the Republicans party to focus on his campaign. "This book is the starting point," Sarkozy tweeted, together with a link to the foreword. "The next five years will be filled with danger but also with hope," he wrote. Sarkozy listed five main challenges in the years ahead: keeping promises made to the nation, defending national identity, restoring lost competitiveness, enforcing state authority and striving "to restore confidence and hope in the future". 'Minority blackmail' His announcement that he will seek his party's nomination at a primary in November comes in the midst of a resurgent debate over the place of Islam in French society, encapsulated in the row over the Islamic "burkini" swimsuit. Sarkozy said France's "principal battle" was over how "to defend our lifestyle without being tempted to cut ourselves off from the rest of the world". The opposition leader, who has repeatedly dismissed socialist President Francois Hollande as weak, said he would also restore authority in neighbourhoods where he said "minorities are successfully blackmailing the current authorities". The politician, who was defeated in his bid for reelection in 2012 after conducting a campaign seen by many in his own camp as too right-wing, faces several challengers for the conservative nomination. His chief rival, popular former premier and Bordeaux mayor Alain Juppe who is seen as a moderate, is the favourite to win the nod. But Juppe's lead in opinion polls has shrunk in recent weeks as Sarkozy steps up his rhetoric on Islamist extremists and immigration in the wake of last month's massacre in Nice. Legal woes "War has been declared on us," Sarkozy said in an interview with Valeurs Actuelles magazine in mid-August. "The barbarians who are attacking us believe we are weak," he said, calling for a "merciless" response. Sarkozy has already won the support of a Republicans heavyweight in the shape of Christian Estrosi, president of the southern region that includes Marseille. "He is the best candidate," Estrosi told the Journal de Dimanche yesterday. If Sarkozy wins, he could face a rematch against Hollande, who has said he too has the "desire" for a second term, despite opinion polls overwhelmingly showing the French wanting neither man as their leader. During his term in office, Hollande has surpassed Sarkozy to become the most unpopular president in post-war France. Sarkozy would also face far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen, who is tipped to make it to a second round of voting. The man known as "President Bling-Bling" for his flashy lifestyle and cosy ties with tycoons while in office, never digested his 2012 defeat by Hollande, whom he had written off as "useless." After telling the French before his defeat they would never hear from him if vanquished, Sarkozy made a comeback to frontline politics in 2014. And a host of legal troubles has failed to dent his ambition of returning to the Elysee Palace. (AFP)

Sarkozy announces new bid for French presidency

IMF chief Christine Lagarde was ordered Friday to stand trial in France over a massive state payout to a controversial tycoon when she was French economy minister, dealing a setback to her stellar career. 
 
Frances highest appeals court dismissed Lagarde&#39;s challenge against the decision to try her for negligence in her handling of a dispute between a state-owned bank and businessman Bernard Tapie. 
 
Tapie walked away with a staggering 404 million euros ($445 million) in compensation in 2008 after Lagarde ordered the long-running row over the sale of sports gear giant Adidas to be resolved by arbitration. 
 
Friday&#39;s ruling means the 60-year-old IMF chief will go before a special tribunal that hears cases against government ministers accused of wrongdoing in the discharge of their duties. The ruling is a blow to the IMF boss, who insists she acted in France&#39;s best interests in the case. 
 
Lagarde has denied any wrongdoing or that she acted on orders from then president Nicolas Sarkozy, of whom Tapie was a supporter. In an interview with AFP in Washington earlier this month she insisted she had a &quot;clear conscience&quot;. &quot;Ive always acted in accordance with the law, and I`ve always had in mind the public interest. 
 
&quot;It was not my duty to select the arbitration panel, to investigate their past and history, and I had no reason to doubt their probity and honesty,&quot; she said. 
 
Investigating magistrates however found evidence of &quot;serious negligence on the part of a minister tasked with conducting affairs of state&quot; and in December ordered the case go to trial. 
 
Lagarde appealed the decision, but her challenge was struck out Friday.&nbsp;If tried and convicted, she risks up to a year in prison and a fine of 15,000 euros. 
 
IMF firmly backs Christine Lagarde&nbsp; 
 
The International Monetary Fund expressed firm backing for Lagarde. &quot;The executive board has been briefed on recent developments related to this matter, and continues to express its confidence in the Managing Director&#39;s ability to effectively carry out her duties,&quot; said IMF spokesman Gerry Rice. 
 
The case was well known to the Fund&#39;s executive directors during her first term leading the Washington-based institution, and they have consistently expressed support for and confidence in her. 
 
Rice said in an emailed statement that it would &quot;would not be appropriate&quot; for the IMF to comment on the case itself. 
 
Lagarde was placed under formal investigation in 2014 over her handling of a long-running dispute with Tapie, who claimed he was defrauded by the state-controlled bank Credit Lyonnais in its handling of his sale of Adidas in the 1990s. The case against Lagarde stems from her decision to allow the row be settled by arbitration instead of by the courts, which would likely have resulted in a much smaller bill for the state.&nbsp; 
 
Prosecutors have also questioned her failure to challenge the massive award. A court has since found the arbitration to be fraudulent because one of the arbitrators had links to 73-year-old Tapie. 
 
The ruling comes just days after she began her second term as head of the institution, where she has been hailed as both a tough negotiator and a skilled consensus-builder. 
 
She will be the third successive head of the Washington-based lender to face trial. 
 
Her predecessor, compatriot Dominique Strauss-Kahn, was acquitted of pimping by a French court last year, four years after he resigned his IMF post to fight separate sexual assault allegations. 
 
Spain&#39;s former IMF chief Rodrigo Rato has also been ordered to stand trial for misusing funds when he was head of Spanish lender Bankia.&nbsp; 
 
The former corporate lawyer became the first woman to head the IMF when she replaced Strauss-Kahn in July 2011. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Lagarde was ordered to be tried for her role in making a 404 million Euro payout to businessman Bernard Tapie when she was finance minister

IMF chief Christine Lagarde was ordered Friday to stand trial in France over a massive state payout to a controversial tycoon when she was French economy minister, dealing a setback to her stellar career. Frances highest appeals court dismissed Lagarde's challenge against the decision to try her for negligence in her handling of a dispute between a state-owned bank and businessman Bernard Tapie. Tapie walked away with a staggering 404 million euros ($445 million) in compensation in 2008 after Lagarde ordered the long-running row over the sale of sports gear giant Adidas to be resolved by arbitration. Friday's ruling means the 60-year-old IMF chief will go before a special tribunal that hears cases against government ministers accused of wrongdoing in the discharge of their duties. The ruling is a blow to the IMF boss, who insists she acted in France's best interests in the case. Lagarde has denied any wrongdoing or that she acted on orders from then president Nicolas Sarkozy, of whom Tapie was a supporter. In an interview with AFP in Washington earlier this month she insisted she had a "clear conscience". "Ive always acted in accordance with the law, and I`ve always had in mind the public interest. "It was not my duty to select the arbitration panel, to investigate their past and history, and I had no reason to doubt their probity and honesty," she said. Investigating magistrates however found evidence of "serious negligence on the part of a minister tasked with conducting affairs of state" and in December ordered the case go to trial. Lagarde appealed the decision, but her challenge was struck out Friday. If tried and convicted, she risks up to a year in prison and a fine of 15,000 euros. IMF firmly backs Christine Lagarde The International Monetary Fund expressed firm backing for Lagarde. "The executive board has been briefed on recent developments related to this matter, and continues to express its confidence in the Managing Director's ability to effectively carry out her duties," said IMF spokesman Gerry Rice. The case was well known to the Fund's executive directors during her first term leading the Washington-based institution, and they have consistently expressed support for and confidence in her. Rice said in an emailed statement that it would "would not be appropriate" for the IMF to comment on the case itself. Lagarde was placed under formal investigation in 2014 over her handling of a long-running dispute with Tapie, who claimed he was defrauded by the state-controlled bank Credit Lyonnais in its handling of his sale of Adidas in the 1990s. The case against Lagarde stems from her decision to allow the row be settled by arbitration instead of by the courts, which would likely have resulted in a much smaller bill for the state. Prosecutors have also questioned her failure to challenge the massive award. A court has since found the arbitration to be fraudulent because one of the arbitrators had links to 73-year-old Tapie. The ruling comes just days after she began her second term as head of the institution, where she has been hailed as both a tough negotiator and a skilled consensus-builder. She will be the third successive head of the Washington-based lender to face trial. Her predecessor, compatriot Dominique Strauss-Kahn, was acquitted of pimping by a French court last year, four years after he resigned his IMF post to fight separate sexual assault allegations. Spain's former IMF chief Rodrigo Rato has also been ordered to stand trial for misusing funds when he was head of Spanish lender Bankia. The former corporate lawyer became the first woman to head the IMF when she replaced Strauss-Kahn in July 2011. (AFP)

French court orders IMF chief Christine Lagarde to stand trial

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy announced plans to quit his role as head of France&#39;s Les Republicains party on Saturday, setting up a potential bid to become head of state for a second time. 
 
Supporters of Les Republicains and other Right and Centre-Right parties will vote in November to decide who will be their candidate in the 2017 presidential election. 
 
The winner will face the far-right National Front&#39;s Marine Le Pen and a Socialist candidate, likely to be President Francois Hollande. 
 
Sarkozy would not be able to run in those presidential primaries if he remained head of the party. He would need to resign two weeks before the application deadline on September 9. 
 
&quot;This national council will be my last one as president of Les Republicains,&quot; he told a party meeting, calling for a fair contest and no acrimony between the potential nominees. 
 
&quot;This primary will be a time of competition between some strong personalities, between people of significant talent,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;When the right goes into battle it has a front on the left and a front on the extreme right. That is why it is unacceptable that we should attack each other.&quot; 
 
For much of this year, Centre-Right rival Alain Juppe has outpaced Sarkozy in opinion polls, but the man who was president between 2007 and 2012 is making a comeback among party supporters, a recent survey showed, a sign the battle could be more open than many thought. 
 
(Reuters)

The former president is making a comeback among party supporters, a recent survey showed

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy announced plans to quit his role as head of France's Les Republicains party on Saturday, setting up a potential bid to become head of state for a second time. Supporters of Les Republicains and other Right and Centre-Right parties will vote in November to decide who will be their candidate in the 2017 presidential election. The winner will face the far-right National Front's Marine Le Pen and a Socialist candidate, likely to be President Francois Hollande. Sarkozy would not be able to run in those presidential primaries if he remained head of the party. He would need to resign two weeks before the application deadline on September 9. "This national council will be my last one as president of Les Republicains," he told a party meeting, calling for a fair contest and no acrimony between the potential nominees. "This primary will be a time of competition between some strong personalities, between people of significant talent," he said. "When the right goes into battle it has a front on the left and a front on the extreme right. That is why it is unacceptable that we should attack each other." For much of this year, Centre-Right rival Alain Juppe has outpaced Sarkozy in opinion polls, but the man who was president between 2007 and 2012 is making a comeback among party supporters, a recent survey showed, a sign the battle could be more open than many thought. (Reuters)

Sarkozy sets up French presidential bid by quitting party role

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