[BBC News]
A criminal investigation into former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, for allegedly soliciting secret campaign financing from France’s richest woman, has been dropped, judicial sources say.
Mr Sarkozy has been left off a list of those to appear for trial over the so-called Bettencourt affair, they say.
He had denied visiting L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt – alleged to be mentally frail – to solicit cash.
The decision could leave Mr Sarkozy, 58, clear to contest the 2017 election.