Sarkozy’s UMP Party hit by Bill for Overspending

France’s conservative opposition party the UMP has suffered a financial blow as election auditors billed it for 11m euros (£9.4m; $14.3m).

It was asked to repay state funds advanced for Nicolas Sarkozy’s 2012 presidential campaign, on grounds it had breached spending limits.

According to the Constitutional Council, which rules on electoral disputes, it had overspent by 2.1%.

Mr Sarkozy resigned from the Council in protest at the move.

As a former French president, he automatically became a member of the constitutional body last year.

Party leader Jean-Francois Cope launched a national fundraising campaign after Thursday’s decision, which leading centre-right daily Le Figaro described as a “hard blow” for the UMP’s finances.

Since its defeat at the presidential and parliamentary elections, the party is believed to have further lost support because of a bitter party leadership battle.

Satirical blogger Nain Portekoi tweeted an image of the party’s tree logo looking withered.

The UMP was allotted 22.5m euros for Mr Sarkozy’s unsuccessful contest with Socialist challenger Francois Hollande and was found by the Constitutional Council to have overspent by 466,118 euros.

To ensure an even playing-field, France caps election funding, bans large donations and subsidises campaign spending.

{BBC. UMP leader Jean-Francois Cope announced a party fundraising drive}