Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy appeared in court on Monday for questioning in trial involving allegations of corruption and influence-peddling.
Sarkozy is accused of having tried to illegally obtain information from a magistrate about an investigation involving him in 2014.
This is the first trial for the 65-year-old politician, who has faced several other judicial investigations since leaving office in 2012.
Prosecutors allege Sarkozy offered to secure a plum job in Monaco for judge Gilbert Azibert in return for confidential information about an inquiry into allegations that Sarkozy had accepted illegal payments from the late L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt for his 2007 presidential campaign.
Sarkozy, who led France from 2007-2012 and has remained influential among conservatives, has denied any wrongdoing in all the investigations against him. He and his centre-right party Les Republicains say they are politically motivated.
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