Sarkozy Insists on Innocence in Last Day of Appeal Trial in Libya Case
- On Wednesday, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy's lawyers delivered closing arguments before the Paris Court of Appeal, concluding more than two months of hearings as Sarkozy maintained there was "not a single cent of Libyan money" in his 2007 campaign.
- French prosecutors requested seven years in prison and a five-year office ban, characterizing Sarkozy as the "instigator" of a corruption pact; Sarkozy became modern France's first former president jailed when he spent 20 days in La Santé prison last year pending this appeal.
- Central to prosecutors' case is Abdallah Senoussi, whose 1989 UTA DC-10 bombing role killed 170 people including 54 French nationals, while Sarkozy's former aide Claude Guéant weakened the defense by confirming a 2005 Senoussi meeting and recalling a 2007 Tripoli dinner where Sarkozy allegedly told him "Claude, sort this out."
- Court of Appeal President Olivier Géron will deliver the judgment on November 30, with the ruling determining Sarkozy's legal fate and his place in French political history; an acquittal would vindicate his persecution claims, while conviction would permanently tarnish his presidency.
- The core dispute centers on whether prosecutors' pattern of Libya contacts proves criminal conspiracy or merely political dealings; the first trial found no direct Libyan funding but convicted Sarkozy for allowing aides to seek Gaddafi regime support across 10 defendants.
58 Articles
58 Articles
The appeal process against France's former president is over – now he has to wait for the verdict. His brutal duel with an old confidant could have harmed him.
The appeal against former French President Sarkozy for the accusation of Annahem of campaign money from Libya is over.
Sarkozy insists on innocence in last day of appeal trial in Libya case
The former president has faced multiple corruption cases in recent years, but the Libya case carries by far the heaviest political and symbolic weight, alleging that a foreign dictatorship helped bring a French president to power.
On the last day of his appeal for alleged illegal financing of his 2007 presidential campaign, Nicolas Sarkozy again claimed his innocence. "I did not betray the confidence of the French," he declared. His lawyers denied any involvement in a corruption pact with the regime of dictator Muammar Gaddafi. For the civil parties, his guilt is beyond doubt. The court will issue its decision in November 2026. (Police, justice and other facts).
On the last day of his appeal, the former Head of State took the floor one last time to reaffirm his innocence.
The trial on appeal of the alleged Libyan financing of Nicolas Sarkozy's campaign was completed on Wednesday. The verdict will be delivered on 30 November. ...
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