Nicolas Sarkozy's hopes of a comeback to the frontline of French politics have been given a major boost after corruption charges against the former president were dropped.
The decision removes the biggest obstacle to a career revival for the 58-year-old, although he remains embroiled in a string of separate scandals that could yet prevent his return to the fray.
The charismatic right-winger had been facing a lengthy trial process, a potential three-year prison term and a ban from public office after being formally charged in March as part of a wide-ranging probe into the financing of his successful 2007 election campaign.
But after six months of deliberations, the two judges in charge of the case have decided to send only 10 of the 12 accused in the case for trial and to drop proceedings against Sarkozy and one other suspect, tax lawyer Fabrice Goguel, judicial sources say.
The specific charge against Sarkozy was that he took advantage of France's richest woman, L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, by accepting cash from her when she was allegedly too frail to know what she was doing. Bettencourt, now 90, has suffered from dementia since 2006.
Among the six who will face trial is Eric Woerth, a former minister who was Sarkozy's campaign treasurer and who stands accused of accepting envelopes stuffed with cash from Bettencourt's right-hand man, Patrice de Maistre.
The decision to drop the charges against Sarkozy is in line with a recommendation from the public prosecutor in the case, who had advised the judges that convictions were unlikely to be secured against six of the 12 accused, including the former president.
Sarkozy stepped back from politics after losing last year's presidential vote to Socialist candidate Francois Hollande.
But he has repeatedly hinted at a comeback in time for the 2017 election, most notably saying earlier this year that he may be obliged to return to "save" France from a Socialist-created economic disaster.
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