Police probe claim Sarkozy took illegal donations from heiress

POLICE yesterday probed allegations that President Nicolas Sarkozy’s election campaign received illegal donations from France’s richest woman throwing up the biggest crisis of his mandate.

The French leader dismissed the charges as “smears” but he faces mounting calls from within his camp to make a stronger defence over the scandal engulfing the ruling party.

Two ministers have already resigned this week for spending public money on cigars and luxury jets and pressure is growing on Labour Minister Eric Woerth for his role in the alleged funding that came from L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt.