The allegations can be traced back to 2011, when a Libyan news agency and Gaddafi himself said that the Libyan state had secretly funnelled millions of euros into Sarkozy's 2007 campaign. View on euro

French prosecutors on Thursday (March 27) requested a seven-year jail sentence and a 300,000-euro (S$433,710) fine for French ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy for allegedly taking millions of euros from late Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi to help his 2007 election campaign.

Twelve suspects are standing trial, including former close aides, accused of devising a pact with Muammar Gaddafi to illegally fund Sarkozy's victorious 2007 presidential election bid.