France’s Sarkozy Goes on Trial Over Alleged GadhafiCampaign Funding [Video]

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy heads to trial on Monday over alleged illegal financing of his presidential campaign by the government of then-Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

Why It Matters

The origins of the case trace back to 2011, when allegations surfaced that Gadhafi’s regime had funneled funds into Sarkozy’s campaign. In 2012, the French investigative outlet Mediapart published a document allegedly from Libyan intelligence, claiming Gadhafi’s regime agreed to contribute €50 million ($52 million) to Sarkozy’s campaign.

Sarkozy dismissed the document as a forgery, but investigators have since indicated the document appears authentic even as they acknowledge a lack of definitive proof of financial transactions.

The allegations came as Sarkozy’s administration initially maintained close ties with Gadhafi, even hosting him with full honors in Paris in 2007. However, Sarkozy later supported NATO-led military intervention in Libya in 2011, which culminated in Gadhafi’s death.