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Nicolas Sarkozy 'held for questioning' by police Nicolas Sarkozy 'held for questioning' by police
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Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is being held for questioning over alleged influence-peddling, a legal source has claimed. The former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is being held for questioning over suspected "influence peddling".
Mr Sarkozy arrived early on Tuesday to be quizzed by investigators at their offices in Nanterre, west of Paris, after his lawyer and two senior attorney-generals were held for questioning on Monday. Mr Sarkozy, who was President from 2007 to 2012, arrived early on Tuesday to be quizzed by investigators at their offices in Nanterre, west of Paris, after his lawyer and two senior attorney-generals were held for questioning on Monday.
"Mr Sarkozy has been summoned to Nanterre and is being held for questioning," the source told the Reuters news agency. It follows allegations that he received leaked details of an inquiry into alleged irregularities in his 2007 election campaign.
Asked about the matter, French government spokesman Stephane Le Foll said Mr Sarkozy was "subject to justice just like everyone else". "Mr Sarkozy has been summoned to Nanterre and is being held for questioning," the source told the Reuters news agency.
Asked about the matter, French government spokesman Stephane Le Foll said Mr Sarkozy was "subject to justice just like everyone else".
"Justice authorities are investigating and have to go all the way," he told i"Justice authorities are investigating and have to go all the way," he told i
Local media say it is the first time a former head of state has been held for questioning in modern French history, although his predecessor, Jacques Chirac was handed a suspended sentence for embezzlement and breach of trust while he was mayor of Paris in 2011.Local media say it is the first time a former head of state has been held for questioning in modern French history, although his predecessor, Jacques Chirac was handed a suspended sentence for embezzlement and breach of trust while he was mayor of Paris in 2011.
It comes as Mr Sarkozy, who was president from 2007 to 2012, had been working towards challenging the presidency in 2017. His allies have quickly rushed to his support, with Christian Estrosi, the mayor of the southern city of Nice, tweeting: "Never has any former president been the victim of such treatment, such an outburst of hatred.”
His lawyer was questioned on suspicion of seeking inside information about a case against the former leader, the BBC reports. The case is one of six legal cases involving Sarkozy either directly or indirectly, including more recent allegations of irregularities in his unsuccessful 2012 election campaign.
Investigators are reportedly trying to determine if Mr Sarkozy promised a high-ranking judge a coveted role in Monaco in exchange for information. The current questioning relates to suspicions he used his influence to get information on an investigation into funding irregularities in his victorious 2007 election campaign.
The conservative politician denies wrongdoing in a string of investigations which could derail his hopes of a come-back after his 2012 presidential election defeat by Francois Hollande. In October a court dropped inquiries into whether he had exploited the mental frailty of France's richest woman, L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, to fund that campaign.
Ms Bettencourt, 91, is France's richest woman. She was diagnosed with dementia in 2006.
But as investigators used phone-taps to examine separate allegations that late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi funded the same campaign, they began to suspect he had kept tabs on the case through a network of informants.
Those suspicions finally prompted the formal launching of yet another investigation into influence-peddling in February.
It is alleged that he was kept informed of proceedings against him while a decision was made over whether his work diaries, which were seized as part of the funding inquiry, should be kept in the hands of the authorities.
The Court of Cassation ruled in March 2014 that the diaries should not be returned. Investigators now believe he was informed his phone was being bugged as part of inquiry.
The conservative politician denies wrongdoing in the string of investigations which could derail his hopes of a come-back after his 2012 presidential election defeat by Francois Hollande.
Investigators can hold him for an initial period of 24 hours, but can add another day onto the custody period.