Nicolas Sarkozy under official investigation after questioning

TheGuardian: Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was put under official investigation for corruption and misuse of influence late on Tuesday after 15 hours in police custody.

Sarkozy was "mis en examen" in a Paris court on allegations that he directly or indirectly used his power in an attempt to find out information about legal proceedings against him.

The respected French financial publication Les Echos described it as a "spectacular measure" that comes as the former leader is planning his political comeback.

Sarkozy's lawyer, Thierry Herzog, and a French magistrate are also now under official investigation. The two accusations carry sentences of up to 10 years in prison.

After questioning Sarkozy on Tuesday at the police headquarters in Nanterre on the outskirts of Paris, the investigating magistrates heading the corruption inquiry decided there was enough evidence to put the former leader under official investigation.

There is no exact equivalent of "mis en examen" or putting under formal investigation in British or US legal systems; the nearest is being charged or arraigned. Only an investigating judge can decide to put a suspect under formal investigation, and only if he or she finds "serious and concordant" suggestions of law-breaking.

Investigators will seek to establish whether Sarkozy, who is involved in a total of six separate legal cases, tried to obtain information about an investigation being carried out over whether he received illegal campaign donations for his successful 2007 presidential bid, including from former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi and France's richest woman Liliane Bettencourt, the L'Oréal heiress.

It was while investigating the donations that detectives tapped the phones of Sarkozy and his lawyer Herzog. They are alleged to have heard the pair discussing an attempt to get information about the case from a magistrate in return for offering him a high-level role in Monaco.

Sarkozy has always denied any wrongdoing.

"These events only rely on phone taps ... whose legal basis will be strongly contested," said Paul-Albert Iweins, lawyer for Herzog.

Being mis en examen gives the suspect's lawyer access to the documents of the case. After the investigating judge has concluded their inquiry - which can take years - the suspect is either brought before a court for trial or released without charge.

Investigators are also looking at the financing of Sarkozy's unsuccessful 2012 presidential campaign. He lost to the Socialist François Hollande.

Kim Willsher in Paris