Carla Bruni, the wife of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, was interrogated by French judicial authorities amid the ongoing probe into alleged illegal campaign funding from Libya for Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential campaign.
This questioning, which occurred on Thursday, centered on Bruni’s potential involvement in witness tampering connected to the case.
This investigation, commonly referred to as the “Libya affair,” examines claims that Sarkozy’s campaign received significant financial support from the regime of the late Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi. Sarkozy, who has been charged with illegal campaign financing, embezzlement of public funds, and bribery, has denied all allegations.
The controversy traces back to 2016 when French-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine alleged that he had transported several suitcases filled with cash from Libya to Sarkozy, who was then serving as France’s Interior Minister. These transactions reportedly took place in late 2006 and early 2007, just ahead of Sarkozy’s successful election campaign.
Takieddine’s reliability has been questioned over the years as he later retracted his initial claims, stating that Sarkozy had never received any Libyan money, only to later assert that his retraction was forced.
In light of these contradictions, in 2021, the French judiciary initiated a further investigation to ascertain whether Takieddine was bribed to change his original testimony. There is suspicion that Sarkozy’s close associates may have offered financial incentives to influence Takieddine’s statements.
Carla Bruni’s recent questioning focuses on her potential role in connecting the parties involved, though she is not currently considered a defendant in the case. This marks the second occasion Bruni has been called in for questioning regarding this affair; she was previously interrogated as a witness nearly a year ago.
This ongoing case continues to attract significant attention, highlighting issues of campaign finance legality and potential foreign influence in French electoral processes, and putting a spotlight on the post-presidential challenges faced by Sarkozy and his family.
