Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will be jailed on Tuesday in Paris’ La Santé prison to begin serving a five-year sentence, becoming the first French former leader since World War II to be sentenced to prison, marking a significant moment in French judicial history.
According to the French judicial ruling, Sarkozy was found guilty of conspiracy with a close associate to illegally fundraise from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s regime to finance his 2007 presidential campaign.
In late September, a Paris court convicted him of “criminal conspiracy,” sentencing him to five years in prison, with two years suspended and three years actual jail time. Sarkozy has filed an appeal, but according to the judgment, he must first go to prison to serve his sentence before the appellate court decides within two months whether to grant bail.
This is the second time Sarkozy has been convicted of criminal charges. In 2021, he was sentenced to three years in prison, with two years suspended and one year of house arrest with an electronic ankle monitor, in a judicial corruption case known as the “phone tapping case.”
The 70-year-old Sarkozy maintains his innocence, criticizing the case as politically motivated and emphasizing that he will “persevere to the end.”
French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin confirmed that Sarkozy will officially enter prison on Tuesday and stated that he will personally visit to ensure security arrangements.
It is reported that Sarkozy may be placed in the “special protection wing,” commonly known as the “VIP section,” isolated from ordinary inmates. The solitary confinement cell is around 9 square meters, equipped with a refrigerator, pay TV, and a landline phone that cannot dial out.
La Santé prison has a long history of detaining many prominent figures, including wrongly accused Jewish military officer Alfred Dreyfus and Venezuelan extremist “Carlos the Jackal.”
Sarkozy told Le Figaro that he will bring three books with him to prison, including Alexandre Dumas’ “The Count of Monte Cristo” in two volumes and a book about Jesus, along with ten family photos and basic clothing.
Sarkozy’s son Louis Sarkozy has called on supporters to hold a rally in a Paris upscale residential area on Tuesday morning; his wife, former supermodel and singer Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, expressed her support and longing for her husband through text and music on social media.
Although conservatives and far-right individuals are outraged by the verdict, the majority of French citizens still support the judicial decision. According to a survey conducted by Elabe for the business channel BFM TV on October 1, 58% of respondents believe the judgment is fair and adheres to legal principles, with 61% supporting the immediate enforcement of the sentence even if an appeal is made.
President Emmanuel Macron met with Sarkozy the day before his imprisonment, but the Élysée Palace did not disclose the details of the meeting.
Sarkozy’s imprisonment symbolizes a significant shift in the French judicial system’s stance on crimes committed by politicians. Former officials were often spared from jail time in the past, but now courts increasingly opt for “provisional execution,” requiring defendants to serve their sentence immediately even if an appeal is pending.
The leader who once dominated the international stage with a “shining president” image will now spend the coming years behind high walls. In an interview with La Tribune Dimanche, he stated, “I’m not afraid of going to prison. Even standing in front of the gates of La Santé prison, I will hold my head high. I will persevere to the end.”
(This article referenced reports from the Associated Press and Reuters)