PARIS — On Thursday (March 27), French prosecutors requested a seven-year prison sentence and a €300,000 (S$433,710) fine for former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, accusing him of receiving millions of euros from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to finance his 2007 election campaign.

Sarkozy has been on trial since January, facing charges of concealing embezzled public funds, passive corruption, illegal campaign financing, and criminal conspiracy. Financial prosecutor Sébastien de La Touanne described the case as "high-intensity corruption" and claimed it painted a troubling picture of the republic. He further alleged that Sarkozy had made "a Faustian corruption pact" with one of the most notorious dictators of the last 30 years.

Prosecutors also called for a five-year ban on holding public office and other privileges. Sarkozy’s legal team dismissed the accusations as harsh and baseless, with lawyer Christophe Ingrain insisting on his innocence. In a Facebook post, Sarkozy denounced the case as politically motivated, vowing to fight for the truth. Alongside Sarkozy, prosecutors sought prison terms of one to six years and fines up to €150,000 for his former chief of staff Claude Guéant, ex-Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux, and former campaign finance head Éric Woerth.

Since leaving office in 2012, Sarkozy has faced multiple legal troubles. Last year, France’s highest court upheld his conviction for corruption and influence peddling, requiring him to wear an electronic tag for a year—a first for a former French head of state. Additionally, an appeals court confirmed a separate conviction for illegal campaign financing in his unsuccessful 2012 re-election bid. A further appeal ruling is expected later this year.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.