France's "trial of the century" will open in Paris on Monday when Dominique de Villepin, a former prime minister, stands accused of running a smear campaign to destroy Nicolas Sarkozy's bid for the presidency. Below is a timeline of key events.January 2004: Then-Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin asks a retired general to investigate lists naming people alleged to have secret accounts with Luxembourg clearing house Clearstream used to hold bribes.
Below is a timeline of key events.
January 2004: Then-Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin asks a retired general to investigate lists naming people alleged to have secret accounts with Luxembourg clearing house Clearstream used to hold bribes.
Secret bank accounts, forged lists of names, ex-spies -- and two political rivals who wanted to destroy each other. The trial of France's former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin starts on Monday. His involvement in a financial scandal earned him the personal enmity of President Nicolas Sarkozy. It is a first for France's Fifth Republic, a legal drama of historic dimensions and a personal showdown between the current president and his former archrival in the French conservatives. On Monday, the trial begins of the former prime minister -- and with it a media storm. Former Prime Minster Dominique de Villepin and a handful of prominent fellow defendants are faced with charges relating to their role in the shady Clearstream scandal. If Villepin is found guilty it would mark the political demise of a man who in February 2003, as French foreign minister, gave an outstanding performance at the UN General Assembly in New York when he outlined "Old Europe's" opposition to the US plans to invade Iraq. Now the gifted poet and author of historical works is seeing his past finally catch up with him. The Clearstream affair first came to light in 2004 with allegations surrounding accounts at a subsidiary of Deutsche Börse, the German stock exchange. Lists suddenly appeared which seemed to prove that members of the elite of French society held secret accounts with the Luxembourg-based clearing house -- including President Nicolas Sarkozy, who was then a cabinet minister.
Secret bank accounts, forged lists of names, ex-spies -- and two political rivals who wanted to destroy each other. The trial of France's former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin starts on Monday. His involvement in a financial scandal earned him the personal enmity of President Nicolas Sarkozy.
It is a first for France's Fifth Republic, a legal drama of historic dimensions and a personal showdown between the current president and his former archrival in the French conservatives. On Monday, the trial begins of the former prime minister -- and with it a media storm.
Former Prime Minster Dominique de Villepin and a handful of prominent fellow defendants are faced with charges relating to their role in the shady Clearstream scandal. If Villepin is found guilty it would mark the political demise of a man who in February 2003, as French foreign minister, gave an outstanding performance at the UN General Assembly in New York when he outlined "Old Europe's" opposition to the US plans to invade Iraq.
Now the gifted poet and author of historical works is seeing his past finally catch up with him. The Clearstream affair first came to light in 2004 with allegations surrounding accounts at a subsidiary of Deutsche Börse, the German stock exchange. Lists suddenly appeared which seemed to prove that members of the elite of French society held secret accounts with the Luxembourg-based clearing house -- including President Nicolas Sarkozy, who was then a cabinet minister.
A trial pitting President Nicolas Sarkozy (right) against his arch rival, former PM Dominique de Villepin (left), opened on Monday amid questions of whether de Villepin can get a fair trial with the sitting president as a plaintiff. One of the most acrimonious rivalries in recent French politics got under way Monday with the opening of a trial in which former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin is accused of plotting to defame Nicolas Sarkozy before he became president by falsely accusing him of receiving kickbacks. As Villepin arrived at the courthouse on Monday flanked by his wife and children, he insisted that the case was being propelled by Sarkozy alone. "I am here because of one man's will," he said upon arriving at court. "I am here because of the dogged determination of one man, Nicolas Sarkozy." "I will come out of this a free man and exonerated," he told reporters. "I know that truth will prevail."
One of the most acrimonious rivalries in recent French politics got under way Monday with the opening of a trial in which former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin is accused of plotting to defame Nicolas Sarkozy before he became president by falsely accusing him of receiving kickbacks.
As Villepin arrived at the courthouse on Monday flanked by his wife and children, he insisted that the case was being propelled by Sarkozy alone.
"I am here because of one man's will," he said upon arriving at court. "I am here because of the dogged determination of one man, Nicolas Sarkozy."
"I will come out of this a free man and exonerated," he told reporters. "I know that truth will prevail."
Dominique de Villepin, the former French prime minister, lashed out at his rival Nicolas Sarkozy as he went on trial on charges of plotting to smear the president. "I am here because of the will of one man, I am here because of the dogged determination of one man, Nicolas Sarkozy," he said before entering the courtroom."I will come out of this a free man and exonerated," he said, adding that "I know that truth will prevail."
"I am here because of the will of one man, I am here because of the dogged determination of one man, Nicolas Sarkozy," he said before entering the courtroom.
"I will come out of this a free man and exonerated," he said, adding that "I know that truth will prevail."
