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France's Sarkozy Will Stand Trial over Alleged Libyan Campaign Financing

FILE - French President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, greets Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi upon his arrival at the Elysee Palace, in Paris Dec. 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)
FILE - French President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, greets Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi upon his arrival at the Elysee Palace, in Paris Dec. 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)
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France's Sarkozy Will Stand Trial over Alleged Libyan Campaign Financing

FILE - French President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, greets Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi upon his arrival at the Elysee Palace, in Paris Dec. 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)
FILE - French President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, greets Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi upon his arrival at the Elysee Palace, in Paris Dec. 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will stand trial in 2025 on charges of corruption and illegal financing related to alleged Libyan funding of his successful 2007 presidential bid, the financial prosecutor's office said on Friday.
Sarkozy, who remains an important figure in French politics although he no longer holds any elected post, has always denied the accusations. "There's not even the smallest inkling of proof," he said in an interview in 2018.
The conservative former president, in office from 2007 to 2012, could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted in the case. He is also fighting various other legal cases, Reuters said.
In this case, he will stand trial over charges of "concealment of embezzlement of public funds, passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and criminal conspiracy with a view to committing a crime punishable by 10 years in jail", the prosecutor's office said.
Among the 12 others facing trial in the case are Sarkozy's former right-hand man Claude Gueant, his then head of campaign financing Eric Woerth and former Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux.
An initial hearing is set for March 7, 2024, the prosecutor's office said, with the trial itself scheduled to take place between Jan.6, 2025 and April 10, 2025.
Sarkozy, 68, lost an appeal in May against a 2021 conviction for corruption and influence peddling. His legal team promised to challenge that at France's highest court.
Sarkozy's conservative predecessor, the late Jacques Chirac, was found guilty of corruption in 2011, four years after he left office.

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NATO Appoints Outgoing Dutch PM Rutte as Its Next Secretary-General 

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (R) and Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte hold a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on April 17, 2024. (AFP)
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (R) and Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte hold a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on April 17, 2024. (AFP)
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NATO Appoints Outgoing Dutch PM Rutte as Its Next Secretary-General 

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (R) and Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte hold a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on April 17, 2024. (AFP)
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (R) and Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte hold a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on April 17, 2024. (AFP)

NATO allies on Wednesday selected outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as NATO's next boss, as the war in Ukraine rages on its doorstep and uncertainty hangs over the United States' future attitude to the transatlantic alliance. 

Rutte's appointment became a formality after his only rival for the post, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, announced last week that he had quit the race, having failed to gain traction. 

"The North Atlantic Council decided to appoint Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the next Secretary-General of NATO, succeeding Jens Stoltenberg," NATO said in a statement. 

"Mr. Rutte will assume his functions as Secretary-General from 1 October 2024, when Mr. Stoltenberg’s term expires after ten years at the helm of the Alliance," it added. 

After declaring his interest in the post last year, Rutte gained early support from key members of the alliance including the United States, Britain, France and Germany. 

Others were more reticent, particularly Eastern European countries which argued the post should go to someone from their region for the first time. 

But they ultimately rowed in behind Rutte, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a staunch ally of Ukraine. 

Stoltenberg said he warmly welcomed the selection of Rutte as his successor. 

"Mark is a true transatlanticist, a strong leader, and a consensus-builder," he said. "I know I am leaving NATO in good hands." 

NATO takes decisions by consensus so Rutte, who is bowing out of Dutch politics after nearly 14 years as prime minister, could only be confirmed once all 32 alliance members gave him their backing. 

Rutte will face the challenge of sustaining allies' support for Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion while guarding against NATO's being drawn directly into a war with Moscow. 

He will also have to contend with the possibility that NATO-skeptic Donald Trump may return to the White House after November's US presidential election. 

Trump's possible return has unnerved NATO leaders as the Republican former president called into question US willingness to support other members of the alliance if they were attacked.