Nicolas Sarkozy to face trial over illegal campaign financing

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy must face trial for illegal campaign financing after losing a court appeal on Thursday.

The "Bygmalion" scandal is just one of several legal problems facing Sarkozy following his unsuccessful re-election bid in 2012.

Read more: Nicolas Sarkozy corruption charges reveal France's loose campaign finance practices

Details of the case

• Sarkozy was appealing a 2017 ruling that he and 13 others face trial over the "Bygmalion affair."
• In 2012 Sarkozy allegedly exceeded the legal limit for election campaign spending.
• A PR firm called Bygmalion was allegedly involved in exceeding the €22.5 million ($25.6 million) limit by almost double via fake invoices.

Other legal troubles: Sarkozy is also facing accusations of bribery and illegal influence. In 2014, Sarkozy allegedly obtained secret information from a lawyer general at the Court of Cassation through his legal counsel. He is also under investigation for allegedly accepting campaign financing in 2007 from then-Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi.

Read more: Nicolas Sarkozy: Life is 'living hell' since Libya funding accusations

Further appeal: Sarkozy's lawyers said their client would now take the case to the Cour de Cassation, France's court of final appeal.

aw/rt (AFP, Reuters)

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