Nicolas Sarkozy Denies Libyan Funding Allegations in Paris Court of Appeal

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy took the stand before the Paris Court of Appeal on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, declaring his innocence in the case alleging that Libya financed his victorious 2007 presidential campaign. Opening his interrogation, Sarkozy addressed the court directly on the suffering of families of victims of the 1989 UTA Flight 772 bombing before turning to his central denial.

„The truth is that there is not one cent of Libyan money in my campaign” — Nicolas Sarkozy via La Libre.be

Sarkozy also denied ever acting in favor of Abdallah Senoussi, the former Libyan intelligence chief who had sought a pardon or amnesty following his conviction. The former president told the court he was "innocent" and had "committed no act of corruption, neither closely nor remotely." His wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, attended the hearing for the first time since the appeal trial opened in mid-March. The interrogation is expected to last three to four days in total.

UTA bombing victims' families denounce defendants' "lies"

The UTA Flight 772 bombing occurred on September 19, 1989, when a DC-10 aircraft was destroyed over Niger, killing all 170 people on board, including 54 French nationals. Abdallah Senoussi, brother-in-law of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi and director of Libyan intelligence, was sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment in Paris in 1999 for his role in ordering the attack. The Libyan financing case against Sarkozy centers on allegations that his close associates held secret meetings in Libya in late 2005 with Senoussi, during which campaign financing was allegedly discussed in exchange for diplomatic, economic, and judicial considerations, including a review of Senoussi's legal situation.

Several relatives of the victims of the UTA DC-10 bombing testified last week, describing how their words had been "crushed by the words of those who have access to microphones" and denouncing what they called the "denial" and "lies" of the defendants. Sarkozy acknowledged their pain directly at the opening of his interrogation.

„In the place of the relatives of the victims of the UTA DC-10, I would have had the same anger, the same grief” — Nicolas Sarkozy via La Libre.be

He added that responding to "unspeakable suffering" required truth, but insisted that "one does not repair suffering with an injustice." Sarkozy also invoked his role in building the international coalition that contributed to the fall of Gaddafi's regime in 2011 as evidence of his independence from the Libyan leader.

„Gaddafi had no hold over me financially, politically, or personally” — Nicolas Sarkozy via Ouest France

First-instance judges found no proof funds reached campaign coffers

The prosecution's account holds that close associates of Sarkozy negotiated with Senoussi during Sarkozy's time as interior minister, seeking Libyan funds for the 2007 presidential campaign. At the first-instance trial, judges ruled that the criminal conspiracy charge was established even though direct proof that Libyan funds reached Sarkozy's campaign coffers was not provided. The judges in the first instance did confirm that Sarkozy had allowed his closest collaborators, Claude Guéant and Brice Hortefeux, to solicit Libyan authorities during those secret 2005 meetings. Sarkozy was sentenced in September 2025 to five years in prison for criminal conspiracy in connection with the case. 5 (years) — prison sentence handed to Sarkozy at first instance He was subsequently incarcerated at La Santé prison on October 21, 2025, and released on November 10, 2025, after spending 20 days behind bars pending appeal. Legal observers noted that a new conviction at the appeal stage would carry a significant risk of Sarkozy returning to prison.

Co-defendants include former ministers, one absent for health reasons

Sarkozy faces the appeal proceedings alongside nine co-defendants, among them former ministers Brice Hortefeux and Éric Woerth, both of whom served in government during Sarkozy's presidency. Claude Guéant, who served as secretary general of the French presidency and later as interior minister under Sarkozy, was absent from the April 7 hearing due to health reasons. The Paris Court of Appeal has been hearing the case since mid-March 2026, with Sarkozy having remained notably reserved throughout the proceedings until his interrogation began. At the first-instance trial, Sarkozy had been described as prolix and ebullient, a contrast to his more measured demeanor during the appeal. The prosecution alleged that 6.5 (million euros) — amount allegedly sent by Libya in January and November 2006 were corroborated by evidence, though judges at first instance found the link to Sarkozy's campaign unproven. Henri Guaino, Sarkozy's former speechwriter, expressed on Sud Radio his "loss of confidence" in the French justice system in connection with the case.

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