Appeal Trial Opens For France’s Sarkozy Over Alleged Libyan Funding

Sarkozy became the first modern-day French head of state to go to prison, serving 20 days in jail before he was released pending the appeal.

By Ignatius Igwe

Updated March 17, 2026

France’s former president Nicolas Sarkozy (C) leaves the courthouse with the chairman of Forward Global in France, Guillaume Didier during a break as part of his appeal trial over charges he sought Libyan financing for his 2007 election, at the Paris Appeal Court in the Palais de Justice courthouse in Paris on March 16, 2026. Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP

France’s ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy was back in court Monday for a retrial on charges he sought Libyan financing for his 2007 election, in a case that last year saw him go to prison.

Sarkozy, who denies wrongdoing, is appealing a lower court ruling last year that found him guilty of trying to acquire funding from Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya for the campaign that saw him elected.

He became the first modern-day French head of state to go to prison, serving 20 days in jail before he was released pending the appeal.

AFP