Former President Nicolas Sarkozy auditioned at the Bygmalion trial

Prosecuted for illegal financing of an electoral campaign, Nicolas Sarkozy is suspected of having let the expenses slip despite several alerts on the risks of exceeding the legal ceiling for a presidential campaign.

Anne-Christine Poujoulat AFP / Archivos

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2 min

He has been absent since May 20 and the start of the financing trial for his 2012 campaign. This Tuesday, June 15, Nicolas Sarkozy will be on the stand in front of the court.

The former president will have to explain himself as warned about the overspending of his campaign of 20 million euros and will have to answer this main question: how could he ignore such overruns?

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It's a highly anticipated hearing.

Prosecuted for illegal financing of an electoral campaign, Nicolas Sarkozy is suspected of having let the expenses slip despite several alerts on the risks of exceeding the legal ceiling for a presidential campaign.

An overrun paid by the UMP thanks to false invoices. 

In his defense, Nicolas Sarkozy has always said that, too busy with his campaign and his function as President of the Republic, he did not have time to delve into the accounts and assures that he was never alerted to any overtaking. 

► See also: 

France: Nicolas Sarkozy back in court in the Bygmalion case

The former president also accuses Jean-François Copé, then director of the presidential party, of having taken advantage of the fraud put in place.

A version of the facts largely denied by the principal concerned, last Wednesday, during his hearing as a simple witness.

The ex-president of the UMP had even asked the annoying question: we must ask who benefits?

Nicolas Sarkozy will answer it, perhaps, this Tuesday. 

► To read also: 

Bygmalion trial: Jean-François Copé returns the ball to his former collaborators

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  • Nicolas sarkozy

  • France