El ex primer ministro niega su complicidad en los intentos de dañar la reputación de Sarkozy.
Former French Prime Minister on trial
The former French Prime Minister, Dominique de Villepin goes on trial on charges of plotting to discredit the then Interior Minister, now President, Nicolas Sarkozy. The hearing is expected to last at least four weeks.
Reporter:
Emma Jane Kirby
This explosive and incredibly complex trial has all the elements of a blockbuster political thriller, a former Prime Minister from the political elite, accused of conducting a smear campaign against a rival outsider to try to spoil his chances of becoming President.
The case dates back five years, when Nicolas Sarkozy's name appeared on a list sent to the former French Prime Minister of top politicians and businessmen who were wrongly linked to an illegal bank account in Luxembourg. It was alleged those named on the list had received bribes from international arms sales.
When a judge concluded the listings were false, the focus of the investigation quickly became who was behind the spurious allegations. Magistrates want to know whether that person was Dominique De Villepin. If he's found guilty, the former Prime Minister faces up to five years in prison and a heavy fine. He denies any wrongdoing.
Emma Jane Kirby, BBC News, Paris
explosive
explosivo
has all the elements of a blockbuster political thriller
(el juicio) tiene todos los elementos de una novela de suspenso político
the political elite
la élite política
conducting a smear campaign
realizar una campaña difamatoria
rival outsider
desconocido rival (en este caso, un participante con pocas posibilidades de ganar)
wrongly linked
vinculados erróneamente
received bribes from international arms sales
(habían) recibido sobornos a través de la venta internacional de armas
concluded
determinó
who was behind the spurious allegations
los responsables detrás de las acusaciones falsas
denies any wrongdoing
niega cualquier fechoría
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