PNF Requests Trial for Nicolas Sarkozy and Associates Over Takieddine Retraction Case

On December 16, 2025, the French Parquet national financier (PNF) formally requested the referral to trial of 11 individuals including former President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. The charges stem from the alleged manipulation of witness Ziad Takieddine, who had retracted accusations that implicated Sarkozy in receiving Libyan funding for his 2007 presidential campaign. Sarkozy faces serious accusations of conspiracy to commit organized fraud and receiving witness tampering, while Carla Bruni-Sarkozy is charged with conspiracy to commit organized fraud alone.

The investigation, named "operation Sauver Sarko," suggests attempts by the accused to deceive the judiciary in an effort to exonerate Sarkozy by orchestrating a fraudulent retraction by Takieddine, who died in September 2025. Central to the case is determining whether Sarkozy approved of or participated in these alleged illicit actions.

Previously, Sarkozy was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison related to similar charges, but he is currently appealing with a retrial set to start on March 16, 2026. Sarkozy's lawyer, Christophe Ingrain, declined to comment on the recent developments.

This new step by the PNF intensifies the ongoing judicial proceedings surrounding Sarkozy's alleged involvement in fraud and witness tampering, highlighting the complexity and high-profile nature of the case within French political and legal circles.