France's ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy held for questioning in corruption probe

France's ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy held for questioning in corruption probe
(Image credit: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

French police have detained former President Nicolas Sarkozy near Paris for questioning in an influence-peddling case. Authorities want to know if Sarkozy used his authority to get information on an inquiry into allegations that his successful 2007 presidential campaign had been bankrolled by former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, Reuters reports.

This is thought to be the first time a former head of state was held for questioning in modern French history, the BBC reports, and is one of six legal inquiries involving Sarkozy. His lawyer, Thierry Herzog, was questioned Monday, and this investigation is said to have started in February.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.