Ex-French president Sarkozy told to testify in polling fraud trial
Sarkozy, who benefits from presidential immunity in the case, had said he would not appear as a witness in the case after being tried and convicted twice this year in separate affairs.
FormerFormer French president Nicolas Sarkozy will have to testify in a trial in which his former aides are accused of misusing public funds on polling contracts, a judge ruled Tuesday, reports Yahoo! News.
Sarkozy, who benefits from presidential immunity in the case, had said he would not appear as a witness in the case after being tried and convicted twice this year in separate affairs.
But the judge said Sarkozy's testimony was "necessary to determine the truth" over the opinion polls commissioned when he was president and ordered him to appear on November 2.
Representatives for Sarkozy said they did not intend to comment "at this stage".
The accused are five former aides and allies of the right-winger who led France between 2007 and 2012. They face charges ranging from favouritism to conspiracy and misuse of public money over the awarding of polling contracts worth a combined 7.5 million euros ($8.7 million).
