PARIS — A French court has pushed back a ruling on whether to drop aggravated pimping charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former IMF chief who has successfully fought accusations linked to his "libertine" lifestyle.

The Sipa news agency reports that prosecutors say the court set a new date of Dec. 19 on Strauss-Kahn's demand to annul the charges linking him to a suspected prostitution ring run out of a luxury hotel in the northern city of Lille.

Two of the four people implicated have asked that charges be dropped.

Lawyers for Strauss-Kahn claim the investigating judges were biased.

The economist admits attending "libertine" gatherings but denies knowing that some women present were paid.

New York prosecutors dropped charges of sexual assault against Strauss-Kahn by a New York hotel maid in May 2011.