FRANCE-SCANDAL/TRIAL

Marie (C) and Victoire (L), daughters of former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, leave after the verdict in the so-called "Clearstream case" at the courthouse in Paris January 28, 2010. De Villepin was cleared on Thursday of being part of a conspiracy to smear Nicolas Sarkozy and sabotage his campaign to become president in 2007. The verdict represents a sharp blow to Sarkozy, who had made no secret of his enmity towards the aristocratic Villepin when the two served together in the government of ex-President Jacques Chirac. REUTERS/Charles Platiau (FRANCE - Tags: POLITICS CRIME LAW)