FORMER prime minister Dominique de Villepin lashed out at French president Nicolas Sarkozy at the start of a slander trial involving alleged dirty tricks by top politicians and businessmen.

French prime minister Dominique de Villepin today wrapped up a gruelling 17-hour-long grilling by judges investigating a suspected smear campaign against presidential hopeful Nicolas Sarkozy.

French President Jacques Chirac yesterday broke his silence to denounce a “dictatorship of rumours” at the heart of a political scandal tarnishing his government, and he rebuffed calls to sack his prime minister.