France's ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday slammed as "unconstitutional" his summons to give evidence in the trial of ex-aides charged with favouritism over polling contracts.
"It is an essential principle of democracies known as the separation of powers and as president of the Republic I do not have to account for the organisation of my office or the way in which I exercised my mandate," Nicolas Sarkozy told the criminal court in Paris on Tuesday.
Sarkozy said the decision to summon him was "completely unconstitutional" and "totally disproportionate".
Protected by his presidential immunity, the former head of state has never been charged or interrogated in the poll contracts case.
But in a surprise move, the judge in the trial ordered Sarkozy to appear as a witness to help shed light on the case.
Five aides and allies of Sarkozy, including his former chief of staff Claude Gueant and ex-advisor and consultant Patrick Buisson, have been on trial since October 18th accused of misusing public money and cronyism.
Prosecutors say the polling contracts signed by Sarkozy's staff during his 2007-2012 term in office were sealed in secret and without competition -- breaking French laws on public financing that require transparency and competitive bidding.
The accused all deny the charges.
Illegal financing
In late September, a French court handed Sarkozy a one-year prison sentence for illegal financing of his 2012 re-election bid, seven months after he received a separate jail term for corruption.
Sarkozy, who is appealing both sentences, is not expected to serve time behind bars, with the courts ruling that he can wear an electronic bracelet at home instead.
He has promised to clear his name and has accused French prosecutors of a "witch hunt".
The 66-year-old has also been charged over allegations that he received millions of euros for his 2007 election campaign from the late Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi.
(with AFP)
