Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has gone on trial in Paris, accused of taking millions of euros of illicit funds from the late Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi to finance his 2007 election campaign.

Nicolas Sarkozy will stand trial on Monday on charges of corruption over allegedly taking tens of millions of euros from Muammar Gaddafi in exchange for helping to rehabilitate the Libyan dictator.

If convicted, Nicolas Sarkozy could face up to 10 years in prison for a ‘corruption pact’ with the late Libyan leader.