FRANCE: Ex-president to face corruption trial

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is to face trial for corruption and influence peddling, prosecutors say. The case centres on an alleged attempt by Mr Sarkozy to get a judge to reveal information about an investigation into illegal funding of his 2007 campaign. The judge and Mr Sarkozy’s lawyer have also been ordered to stand […]

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is to face trial for corruption and influence peddling, prosecutors say.

The case centres on an alleged attempt by Mr Sarkozy to get a judge to reveal information about an investigation into illegal funding of his 2007 campaign.

The judge and Mr Sarkozy’s lawyer have also been ordered to stand trial. They have all denied wrongdoing.

Mr Sarkozy’s team says he will appeal against the decision. He faces other legal problems over campaign spending. In a separate case, the ex-president is accused of receiving funding from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

In 2014, two years after being voted out of office, the former French president reportedly contacted Mr Azibert, then a senior magistrate at France’s highest court, the Court of Cassation.