trial of former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, accused of accepting illegal campaign financing from the regime of former Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi for his 2007 presidential bid, is set to begin in Paris on Monday. Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, has consistently denied the allegations.

Sarkozy faces charges of illegal campaign financing, misappropriation of public funds, and bribery, alongside 12 other defendants, including former interior ministers Claude Guéant and Brice Hortefeux, and former labor minister Éric Woerth. If convicted, Sarkozy could face up to 10 years in prison and a substantial fine, with several co-defendants also facing potential 10-year sentences.

The trial, scheduled to start at 1:30 pm (1230 GMT) and run until April 10, follows extensive investigations into the Libya affair, involving legal assistance from 21 countries and filling 73 trial records.

In mid-December, Sarkozy was found guilty of attempting to influence the judiciary and was sentenced to a one-year home confinement with an electronic ankle monitor for bribery and illegal influence. The arrangements for his sentence are to be finalized in the coming weeks, and Sarkozy has not yet been fitted with the electronic tag.