Former French President, Nicolas Sarkozy has officially begun serving a five-year prison sentence, marking the first time in modern French history that a former leader has entered prison.
Sarkozy arrived at La Santé Prison in southern Paris on Tuesday morning, escorted by a heavy police convoy of motorbikes and patrol cars.
Witnesses reported that the former president waved to supporters gathered outside his home before being driven to the prison complex.
The moment drew wide media attention, symbolizing a stunning downfall for a man who once occupied France’s highest office.
Sarkozy’s conviction stems from a criminal conspiracy linked to alleged illegal campaign financing during his 2007 presidential run. Investigators found that his campaign received illicit funding from Libyan sources, reportedly in exchange for political and diplomatic favors.
Although Sarkozy has consistently denied any wrongdoing, French courts sentenced him to five years in jail, with part of the sentence to be served under strict confinement. His legal team confirmed that he intends to appeal the ruling, arguing that the verdict was politically motivated.
According to French justice officials, Sarkozy will likely spend his time in either solitary confinement or within a specially secured “VIP wing” at La Santé Prison, a section often used to house high-profile or sensitive inmates for security and privacy reasons.
The former leader, who left office in 2012, has faced several legal challenges over the past decade. This conviction, however, represents the most serious and consequential of his legal troubles.
For many French citizens, Sarkozy’s imprisonment is being viewed as a test of the country’s judicial independence, showing that no individual, regardless of political rank, stands above the law. For others, particularly his supporters, it is seen as the culmination of a long-standing political vendetta
