Paris (AFP)

Shortly judged for his excessive 2012 campaign expenses revealed by the Bygmalion affair and in the so-called "plays" file, indicted in the investigation into Libyan financing charges for his 2007 campaign: at 64, Nicolas Sarkozy lives his political retirement under judicial pressure.

- Trial confirmed -

- 2012 campaign accounts: Nicolas Sarkozy was indicted in February 2016 for illegal financing of his 2012 presidential campaign, in the context of the Bygmalion case. He is not blamed for the system of false invoices in the heart of fraud.

The investigating judge ordered on February 3, 2017 the correctional correction of fourteen protagonists, including Mr. Sarkozy.

On October 25, 2018, the Court of Appeal upheld the magistrate's decision. After the rejection of an appeal by the Constitutional Council on May 17, 2019, the Court of Cassation finalized on Tuesday the correctional correction of the former head of state, and dismissed seven other appeals.

- The "plays": Nicolas Sarkozy was indicted in July 2014 in this file. He is suspected of having tried, with his lawyer Thierry Herzog, to obtain from a high magistrate, Gilbert Azibert, information covered by secrecy in a judicial procedure.

After the validation of phone tapping by the Court of Cassation in March 2016, the three protagonists were sent to the correctional court in March 2018 for "active bribery and trading in influence", as required by the National Financial Office.

After the rejection of several lawsuits, the Court of Cassation validated definitively in June 2019 the dismissal of the three men.

- Indictment -

Libya financing charges against the 2007 campaign: judges have been investigating since April 2013 these accusations made by Ziad Takieddine and former Libyan dignitaries. Mr. Sarkozy is indicted on March 21, 2018 for "passive bribery, illegal financing of electoral campaign and concealment of public funds Libyan". Former secretary general of the Elysée Claude Guéant and former treasurer of the campaign Eric Woerth have also been indicted. The Paris Court of Appeal, seized by Nicolas Sarkozy, must examine on October 17 his request for cancellation of his indictment.

- In progress -

A search conducted at the end of 2017 at a Parisian antique dealer revealed a regular use by Nicolas Sarkozy of liquid in large denominations, leading to the opening of an investigation by the National Finance Prosecutor (PNF).

- Put out of cause -

Nicolas Sarkozy has been dismissed in several other cases: his private jet trips billed to the Lov Group company of his friend Stéphane Courbit; the investigation into his penalties paid by the UMP for exceeding his campaign spending limit in 2012 or the case of donations to the UMP by the wealthy heiress of the group L'Oreal Liliane Bettencourt (deceased in 2017 ).

© 2019 AFP