France's former president Sarkozy to begin appeal trial on March 16

France's former president Nicolas Sarkozy will go on trial on appeal over Libyan campaign-funding allegations starting March 16 next year, a Paris court said Thursday, according to France 24.

A lower court in September found the right-wing politician – who was head of state from 2007 to 2012 – guilty of seeking to acquire funding from Muammar Gaddafi's Libya for the campaign that saw him elected, France 24 reported.

Sarkozy was sentenced to five years behind bars but left La Sante prison in Paris on Monday after serving just 20 days, following a judge's order for his release.

The 70-year-old had immediately appealed, but the lower court ordered him jailed, citing the "exceptional gravity" of the conviction.

The appeal means Sarkozy – who has denied any wrongdoing – is again presumed innocent, with proceedings scheduled to run until June 3, the Paris appeals court said in a statement on Thursday.

Sarkozy entered jail on October 21, becoming the first former head of a European Union state to be incarcerated.