Legal woes surrounding former French president Nicolas Sarkozy mounted on Monday following a revelation that a fresh investigation is looking into the financing of his failed 2012 re-election bid, reports RFI.
This latest probe launched on July 2 is looking into whether Sarkozy should have footed the bill for his financial penalties paid by his UMP party, according to judicial sources reported by AFP.
This latest legal hurdle follows a string of charges and a 15-hour ordeal last week that saw the former president quizzed by an investigative panel.
France’s electoral financing watchdog (CNCCFP) refused to validate Sarkozy’s campaign accounts and two other investigations have come out of his 2012 presidential bid.
The CNCCFP ruled that Sarkozy’s campaign had gone over the 22.5 million euro ceiling and ordered him to repay the more the 363,600 euros doled out as well as a 153,000 advance from the state.
Sarkozy’s UMP party was also barred from reclaiming 10.6 million euros of election expenses from the state after the ruling was held up in July 2013 by the Constitutional Court.
With the party’s finances in shambles, Sarkozy spearheaded a fundraising drive – dubbed the “Sarkothon” – and was able to clear up the debts by that September.
Read more of this report from RFI.
Read Mediapart's coverage of Nicolas Sarkozy and the allegations of 'influence peddling' here.