Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is facing fresh pressure in the Libyan campaign funding case after a new written statement from his former aide Claude Guéant raised further questions about his defence.
According to Le Monde, Guéant sent a second formal statement to the Paris court on 26 April, adding to earlier testimony read during the appeal hearings this month. The statement challenges parts of Sarkozy’s account, particularly over meetings linked to Libya during the period surrounding his 2007 presidential campaign.
Guéant, a former senior aide, chief of staff and later minister under Sarkozy, reportedly submitted a three-page document containing six main points. Although written in cautious legal language, the statement appears to suggest that Sarkozy’s court testimony may have been inaccurate on several issues.
The most sensitive point concerns contacts involving former Libyan intelligence chief Abdullah Senoussi, a central figure in the case. Le Monde reported that Guéant said Sarkozy was aware of discussions linked to Senoussi and a request related to an arrest warrant.
The statement was reportedly accompanied by visual material, including footage from a documentary showing Guéant with Sarkozy during a July 2007 visit to Tripoli. Another image is said to show Senoussi near a French delegation in 2005.
These materials may strengthen the prosecution’s argument that there were direct or indirect contacts between Sarkozy’s circle and Libyan officials during the period under investigation.
Sarkozy is appealing his September 2025 conviction over allegations linked to Libyan financing of his 2007 presidential campaign. He has denied wrongdoing and has repeatedly said that no Libyan money funded his campaign.
The appeal trial began in Paris on 16 March 2026 and is expected to continue until 3 June. The latest testimony is expected to be examined during upcoming hearings, making it a potentially important moment in one of France’s most politically sensitive legal cases.
The case centres on allegations that figures close to Sarkozy sought support from the regime of Muammar Gaddafi before the 2007 French presidential election. Courts have examined alleged meetings, financial transfers and claims of political favours involving senior Libyan officials.
While Sarkozy continues to reject the allegations, Guéant’s latest statement adds another complication to his legal strategy and may further weaken attempts to distance himself from former allies and disputed contacts with Libya.
