Sarkozy denies accepting ‘a single cent’ from Gaddafi

(SeaPRwire) –   The former French president has once more denied claims that his 2007 campaign received financial backing from Libya, as an appeals court reopens review of the case

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy stated during his appearance at a Paris appeals court on Tuesday that “not a single cent” from Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya made its way into his 2007 election campaign.

He is appealing the five-year prison sentence he was handed in 2025, following his conviction on criminal conspiracy charges in a case focused on alleged attempts to obtain secret Libyan funding for his 2005 to 2007 presidential campaign. He briefly served a portion of the sentence before being released under judicial oversight while waiting for the appeal’s conclusion, and has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

During the opening of his questioning session on Tuesday, Sarkozy criticized the case against him, labeling it a “fabrication” built on “lies and animosity” and asserting that no Libyan funds were used in his campaign. He rejected that Gaddafi held any influence over him “financially, politically or personally,” telling the courtroom: “I am innocent.”

Nine co-defendants, among them former ministers and senior advisors, are reportedly facing retrial alongside Sarkozy. Multiple of them have also denied any improper conduct.

The case first came to light in 2011, when Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, Muammar Gaddafi’s son, alleged that his father had provided up to €50 million ($58 million) to back Sarkozy’s campaign. Investigators subsequently looked into communications between Sarkozy’s allies and Libyan officials during the years ahead of the 2007 election.

Sarkozy, who served as France’s president from 2007 to 2012, was a key figure in a NATO-backed regime change operation that dismantled Libya’s government and resulted in Gaddafi’s death.

The conflict brought thousands of jihadist militants into Libya, devastated the country’s economy, and created a migration path towards southern Europe that sparked an ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Prosecutors assert that the suspected financial transactions took place before the outbreak of the conflict. Some analysts have posited that the war effectively erased all possible evidence tied to the alleged funding deals.

The appeal trial is scheduled to run through June 3, with a verdict expected later this year. If the conviction is upheld, Sarkozy could face a prison term of up to 10 years.