The Upcoming
  • Cinema & Tv
    • Movie reviews
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Show reviews
  • Music
    • Live music
  • Food & Drinks
    • News & Features
    • Restaurant & bar reviews
    • Interviews & Recipes
  • Theatre
  • Art
  • Travel & Lifestyle
  • Literature
  • Fashion & Beauty
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Competitions
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

Current affairsNewsPolitics & Social issues

Sarkozy faces formal investigation over alleged peddling

Sarkozy faces formal investigation over alleged peddling
2 July 2014
Eoin O’Sullivan-Harris
Avatar
Eoin O’Sullivan-Harris
2 July 2014

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been placed under formal investigation following allegations of influence peddling.

The 59-year-old was kept in police custody for 15 hours at Nanterre, on the western outskirts of Paris, before reportedly arriving at the civil court in the French capital to meet with judges late Tuesday evening.

In France, if a suspect is placed under formal investigation, he or she is examined by a judge, who determines whether there is sufficient evidence for the accused to be charged. The step, which often but not always leads to trial, might ruin Sarkozy’s political career.

If found guilty of corruption and misuse of influence, Sarkozy could face up to five years in prison and a fine of 500, 000 euros (£400, 000).

The ex-president has been accused of inappropriately using his power to obtain details of a police investigation concerning irregularities in his victorious 2007 election campaign.

Police initiated the investigation following suspicions that Sarkozy obtained illegal donations to fund his 2007 campaign from L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt and former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

One of the investigative measures employed by the police was tapping Sarkozy’s phone. Officers claim it was during a conversation between Sarkozy and his lawyer Thierry Herzog, the pair was overheard discussing the retrieval of information regarding the investigation. The duo wanted to offer a senior prosecutor Giles Azibert a more high-profile role in Monaco in return of the legal information. Azibert and Herzog were also detained in relation to the allegations.

Supporters of Sarkozy strongly condemn the use of phone-hacking by the police. Herzog’s lawyer Paul-Albert Iweins described the measure as “perfectly unjustified” and stated in a French newspaper Le Figaro: “It is a matter of a discussion between two friends that has been misinterpreted, there has been no active corruption. No money has been transferred.”

The present investigation, one of six in which Sarkozy is currently embroiled, comes as a serious knock to the former president’s hopes of retaining presidency in 2017 as UMP (Union for a Popular Movement) leader.

Sarkozy will reportedly appear tonight on French national television to offer his countrymen an explanation for his suspected corruption. The appearance will be Sarkozy’s first public interview since ceding the presidency two years ago.

Eoin O’Sullivan-Harris

Related Itemsfrench electiongiles azibertnicolas sarkozy

More in Current Affairs

Women of Ireland have rolled over for long enough: The 8th and the long walk to abortion rights

Emma Kiely
Read More

Changes to expect during menopause

The editorial unit
Read More

Why Equity Linked Savings Schemes is a preferred tax saving?

The editorial unit
Read More

How the world’s top designers would rebrand political parties

The editorial unit
Read More

Royal baby furore: Proof that the British monarchy is still popular?

Eoin O’Sullivan-Harris
Read More

World Mental Health Day 2018: Raising awareness and combating stigma

The editorial unit
Read More

Seven political personalities you should know about

The editorial unit
Read More

Donald Trump: An enemy of the arts?

The editorial unit
Read More

Trump’s fortune: Where did the money come from?

The editorial unit
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap
  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Paolo Nutini – Last Night in the Bittersweet
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Beauty and the Beast: The Musical at London Palladium
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Brian and Charles
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • The Railway Children Return
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Viagra Boys – Cave World
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Black Bird
    ★★★★★
    apple
  • The End of the Night at Original Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The Throne at Charing Cross Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • “We really wanted to create a cabbage gun”: An interview with David Earl and Chris Hayward stars of Brian and Charles
    Cinema & Tv
  • Flamenco Festival 2022 at Sadler’s Wells
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Black Bird
    ★★★★★
    apple
  • Paolo Nutini – Last Night in the Bittersweet
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Viagra Boys – Cave World
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • The Railway Children Return
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Adele lights up Hyde Park for BST Festival
    ★★★★★
    Live music
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why
With the support from:
International driving license

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Help Rett syndrome patients with fashionable bracelets
International GCSEs to be dismissed from league tables from 2017