Sarkozy Appeals Libya Funding Conviction, Declares Innocence

Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s former president, took the stand in his appeals trial Tuesday to deny charges that he illegally accepted funding from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi for his 2007 election campaign. Sarkozy’s earlier conviction in September 2025 marked a historic low, making him the first modern French leader to face a prison sentence. This high-profile case cuts to the heart of France’s political integrity, dragging decades-old allegations into the spotlight once more. Sarkozy’s legal ba