French prosecutors have requested a seven-year jail sentence and a €300,000 fine for French former president Nicolas Sarkozy for allegedly taking millions of euros from late Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi to help his 2007 election campaign.
Nicolas Sarkozy has been on trial since January on charges of "concealing the embezzlement of public funds, passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and criminal conspiracy with a view to committing a crime".
Sarkozy, president from 2007-2012, denies the charges.
On the final day of the trail on Thursday, financial prosecutor Sebastien de La Touanne called for a seven-year sentence describing the accusations against Sarkozy and the 12 other defendants as "high-intensity corruption".
"A very dark picture of a part of our republic has emerged," he told the court.
Referring to Moamer Kadhafi, De La Touanne said Sarkozy had concluded "a Faustian corruption pact with one of the most unsavoury dictators of the past 30 years".
Prosecutors also requested a five-year ban on Sarkozy running for office and exercising certain privileges.
Bygmalion, Libya, Bismuth: the trials and tribulations of Nicolas Sarkozy
Outside the courtroom, Sarkozy's lawyers told reporters the sentences requested were harsh and unfounded.
"He is innocent," said lawyer Christophe Ingrain.
Sarkozy has strongly denied all allegations. He later posted on social media that the prosecution's request was "an outrage", calling the allegations against him both "false" and "violent".
"I will therefore continue to fight step by step for the truth, and for my faith in the wisdom of the court," he said.
Ongoing legal battles
Twelve suspects are on trial alongside Nicolas Sarkozy. Prosecutors requested between one and six years in jail and fines totalling up to 150,000 euros for his former right-hand man Claude Gueant, ex-interior minister Brice Hortefeux and Sarkozy's ex-head of campaign financing, Eric Woerth.
The trial is set to conclude on 10 April.
The right-wing former president has been embroiled in legal battles since leaving office in 2012.
Last year, France's highest court upheld Sarkozy's conviction for corruption and influence peddling, ordering him to wear an electronic tag for a year – a first for a former French head of state.
Ex-president Sarkozy to wear electronic tag as court upholds corruption conviction
Also last year, an appeals court confirmed a separate conviction for illegal campaign financing over his failed re-election bid in 2012. France's highest court is expected to rule on a further appeal sometime this year.
(with newswires)
