Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to begin a prison sentence on Tuesday following his conviction for seeking illicit funding from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to finance his 2007 presidential campaign.
Sarkozy, who served as France’s president from 2007 to 2012, becomes the first former head of an EU nation to serve jail time. In September, a Paris court sentenced him to five years in prison after finding him guilty of criminal conspiracy in the “Libyan funding” case.
The 70-year-old politician, who insists on his innocence and has appealed the ruling, is expected to be held at La Santé Prison in Paris. Despite his appeal, presiding judge Nathalie Gavarino ruled that the offences were of “exceptional gravity”, ordering his immediate imprisonment.
Speaking after the September verdict, Sarkozy vowed to face his sentence with dignity:
“If they absolutely want me to sleep in prison, I will sleep in prison—but with my head held high.”
Supporters Rally as Sarkozy Reports to Prison
Crowds gathered outside Sarkozy’s Paris residence on Tuesday morning, chanting the national anthem and displaying his portraits. Supporters described the verdict as politically motivated.
“This is a sad day for France and for democracy,” said Flora Amanou, a longtime supporter.
Inside La Santé, Sarkozy is expected to be held in solitary confinement in a nine-square-metre cell to avoid contact with other inmates or potential leaks from smuggled phones. He will be permitted daily exercise and family visits three times a week.
Legal Troubles Continue
Sarkozy has faced several legal battles since leaving office in 2012. Earlier this year, he completed a graft sentence served under electronic monitoring.
Prosecutors in the Libyan funding case alleged that his associates struck a deal with Gaddafi’s regime in 2005 to funnel millions of euros into Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign, promising to help the Libyan leader rehabilitate his image internationally.
However, the court did not find evidence that Sarkozy directly received or spent the alleged funds, acquitting him of embezzlement and corruption charges.
Public Reaction and Political Fallout
Despite losing France’s Legion of Honour due to his earlier corruption conviction, Sarkozy still enjoys support among conservative voters.
A recent poll by Elabe shows that 60% of French citizens consider his prison sentence fair. Yet, President Emmanuel Macron has maintained cordial relations with his predecessor, hosting him at the Élysée Palace days before the incarceration order.
“It was normal, on a human level, to receive one of my predecessors,” Macron said.
As he prepares for imprisonment, Sarkozy reportedly plans to take two books with him — a biography of Jesus and “The Count of Monte Cristo”, a tale of wrongful imprisonment and redemption.
If his lawyers’ pending appeal succeeds, the former president could be released within weeks — but for now, Nicolas Sarkozy remains a symbol of one of France’s most controversial political downfalls.
