French prosecutors seek seven years' jail for Sarkozy for taking Libyan money

PARIS (Reuters) - French prosecutors on Thursday requested a seven-year jail sentence and a 300,000-euro fine for French ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy for allegedly taking millions of euros from late Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi to help his 2007 election campaign.

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".

Financial prosecutor Sebastien de La Touanne described the accusations against Sarkozy and the 12 other defendants as "high-intensity corruption", telling the court: "A very dark picture of a part of our republic has emerged."

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 running for office and exercising certain privileges.

Outside the courtroom, Sarkozy's lawyers told reporters the sentences requested were harsh and unfounded.

"He is innocent," said lawyer Christophe Ingrain.

Sarkozy posted on Facebook that the case was politically motivated, adding: "I will continue to fight inch by inch for the truth, and to believe in the wisdom of the court."

Prosecutors requested between one and six years in jail and fines totalling up to 150,000 euros for Sarkozy's former right-hand man Claude Gueant, ex-interior minister Brice Hortefeux and Sarkozy's ex-head of campaign financing, Eric Woerth.

The centre-right former president has been embroiled in legal battles since leaving office in 2012.

Last year, France's highest court upheld his 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.

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.

(Reporting by Juliette Jabkhiro; Editing by Makini Brice and Kevin Liffey)