Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has vigorously denounced a “plot” he said was staged by “liars and crooks” on Thursday at a Paris trial over the alleged illegal financing of his 2007 presidential campaign by the Libyan government led by former leader Moammar Gadhafi.

The former French president has faced several legal cases since leaving office, but accusations that he received money for his 2007 election from Libyan authorities have been particularly damaging.

A defiant Nicolas Sarkozy told a Paris court on Thursday that allegations of illegal Libyan financing of his successful 2007 presidential bid were a "conspiracy" and that not a single cent of Libyan cash would ever be found in his campaign.

A trial has opened of France’s former President Nicolas Sarkozy and 11 co-defendants over alleged illegal financing of his 2007 presidential campaign by the government of then-Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

Nicolas Sarkozy, who has already been convicted in two other cases, faces charges of passive corruption, illegal campaign financing, concealment of embezzlement of public funds and criminal association,

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy went on trial on Monday, on charges of having received millions of euros in illegal financing from Libya's late strongman Muammar Gaddafi for his successful 2007 presidential bid.

Sarkozy is accused by prosecutors of having struck a deal with Libya's late dictator Muammar Gaddafi to receive millions of euros in illegal funding. View on euronews