A court in France has rejected a request by the former president, Nicolas Sarkozy, to dismiss an investigation of allegations that he received bribes from Libya to finance his election campaign in 2007.

The ruling by the court of appeal in Paris means that Mr Sarkozy and several of his associates are now likely to have to stand trial over the claims that they benefited from millions of dollars from Libya's late leader, Muammar Gaddafi.

However, the accused can still appeal to the highest French criminal court.