Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has again denied allegations that Libya financed his successful 2007 presidential campaign, telling an appeals court that “not a single cent of Libyan money” was used in his election bid.
Speaking during proceedings in the ongoing appeal trial, Sarkozy firmly rejected accusations that he sought or accepted illicit campaign funding from the government of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. He described the allegations as baseless and insisted the case against him lacks factual foundation.
“The truth is that there was not a single cent of Libyan money in my campaign,” Sarkozy told the court, reiterating his longstanding denial of wrongdoing.
The case stems from allegations that Sarkozy’s associates negotiated with Libyan officials in the lead-up to the 2007 French presidential election, allegedly seeking financial support in exchange for helping rehabilitate Libya’s international standing after years of diplomatic isolation.
In September, a lower French court found Sarkozy guilty of attempting to secure campaign financing from Libya. However, the court stopped short of ruling that he had actually received or used Libyan funds during the campaign. He was sentenced to five years in prison, serving 20 days before being released pending appeal.
Prosecutors maintain that members of Sarkozy’s inner circle engaged in discussions with Libyan representatives on his behalf and offered political concessions in return for financial backing. Sarkozy and his legal team continue to reject the claims, describing them as politically motivated and unsupported by credible evidence.
The case remains one of the most high-profile legal proceedings involving a former French head of state and continues to draw major public and political attention in France.
