Sarkozy rocked by new evidence that he received £42m gift from Gaddafi that helped bring him to power

By Peter Allen

PUBLISHED: 21:43 GMT, 28 April 2012 | UPDATED: 11:14 GMT, 29 April 2012

Nicolas Sarkozy's dwindling hopes of being re-elected to the French presidency were last night rocked by new evidence that Colonel Gaddafi donated £42 million to the campaign that brought him to power.

French law bans candidates from receiving cash payments above £6,300, but a news website claimed that the massive donation was laundered through bank accounts in Panama and Switzerland.

Mr Sarkozy is now under huge pressure to explain himself in the light of what his opponents called compelling evidence.

A document made public in Paris is said to show that the French leader and the former Libyan dictator made an illegal financial deal that propelled Mr Sarkozy to power in 2007.

FULL STORY: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2136762/Nicolas-Sarkozy-rec...