AKIPRESS.COM - Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is being held in police custody over campaign financing, according to reports.

A Reuters court source says Mr Sarkozy is being questioned by police in connection to an investigation into "irregularities" in election campaign financing.

The investigation relates to alleged Libyan funding for his 2007 campaign, Le Monde newspaper reported.

According to Le Monde, this is the first time Mr Sarkozy has been questioned in relation to this investigation, which was opened in April 2013.

He can be held for up to 48 hours and presented to Magistrates Court for indictment straight away if police seek charges.

Mr Sarkozy was president of France from 2007 until 2012.

He attempted to stage a comeback for the 2017 election, but failed to convince the voters in his own party to support him and had to concede to Francois Fillon and Alain Juppe.