Ex-president Sarkozy to face trial for corruption

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been ordered to stand trial on charges of corruption and influence peddling.

It is one of multiple corruption cases targeting Mr Sarkozy, and marks the second case so far in which he is being sent to trial.

In the latest case, a judicial official said judges issued an order for Mr Sarkozy to stand trial on accusations that he tried to illegally get information from a judge about an investigation targeting him. The former president, 63, can appeal against the order.

In a separate case, Mr Sarkozy was given preliminary charges last week of getting illegal campaign financing in 2007 from late Libyan dictator Muammar al-gaddafi. Mr Sarkozy’s lawyer Thierry Herzog is also ordered to stand trial, along with former magistrate Gilbert Azibert.

Mr Sarkozy has objected to the case because part of the investigation is based on information gleaned from tapped phone conversations between him and his lawyer.