Since January 6, former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has returned to court in a historic trial that is set to last until April in Paris. The accusations are damning: Sarkozy is suspected of entering into a "corruption pact" with Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to finance his 2007 presidential campaign – a deal allegedly negotiated in a 2005 meeting.

Sarkozy allegedly received €50 million in funds, according to an official Libyan document published in 2012 by French investigative site Mediapart, which revealed the entire affair. This was supposedly part of a diplomatic quid pro quo, with Gaddafi asking Sarkozy to help him break with his terrorist past by rehabilitating him on the international stage. Sarkozy claims he's innocent, telling the court that not "a single euro, a single Libyan cent [is] in my campaign" funds.

In our three-minute video, we break down the historical and political context and the details of this vast case, which brings together 12 other defendants in addition to Sarkozy. Read more about the latest updates from the trial in our article below.