Former French PM to stand trial for plotting to discredit President Sarkozy

It is claimed Mr Villepin was involved in a smear campaign known as the Clearstream affair designed to keep Mr Sarkozy from winning France's top job in 2007 elections.

The former PM will be on the defendants' bench along with four others, accused of perpetuating bogus claims that Mr Sarkozy hid bribe money in a Luxembourg bank.

A mysterious list claimed to show clients with secret accounts with Luxembourg clearing house Clearstream, including Mr Sarkozy and other leading French political and business figures. The accounts were purportedly created to hold bribes from a 1991 sale of warships to Taiwan, among other shady income.

Mr Villepin became aware of the list and asked an intelligence adviser for the Defence Ministry, Gen Philippe Rondot, to investigate it. Rondot determined it was a hoax - but the list was already making the rounds among government and judicial officials.

Mr Villepin is accused of "complicity to slanderous denunciations" and "complicity in using forgeries" among other charges.

If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison and a large fine.

Mr Villepin, 55, left the prime minister's job when Mr Sarkozy took over but has left open the possibility of running in the next presidential election in 2012.

About 20 witnesses are expected to testify and there are more than 40 plaintiffs in the trial, which is expected to run until October 21.

The claims date back to 2004, when both men were considered leading hopefuls to succeed then-President Jacques Chirac.