Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is set to be freed from prison as a judge ordered his release from jail pending an appeal hearing over Libyan funding.

During the examination of Sarkozy's request in court earlier on Monday, prosecutors had requested Sarkozy, 70, be freed after 20 days in jail that the former president called a "nightmare".

A lower court in September found the right-wing politician guilty of seeking to acquire funding from Muammar Gaddafi's Libya for his 2007 presidential campaign.

They sentenced him to five years is prison.

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

Sarkozy was expected to be released from La Sante prison in Paris later on Monday.

The appeal hearing is due to take place in March.

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