Nicolas Sarkozy becomes first French ex-president to go to jail

Nicolas Sarkozy has become the first French ex-president to go to jail, beginning a five-year sentence for conspiring to fund his election campaign with money from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Not since World War Two, when Nazi collaborationist leader Philippe Pétain was jailed for treason in 1945, has any French ex-leader been imprisoned.

Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, has appealed against his jail term and is now held at La Santé prison, where he occupies a small cell in the isolation wing, according to the BBC.

More than 100 supporters applauded and shouted “Nicolas!” as he left his villa in Paris’ exclusive 16th district, holding his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy by the hand.

His son Louis, 28, had urged supporters to show their support, while another son, Pierre, called for a message of love – “nothing else, please.”

Sarkozy, 70, was driven into the notoriously overcrowded 19th-Century prison in the Montparnasse district south of the River Seine at 09:40 local time (07:40 GMT), while dozens of police officers cordoned off surrounding streets.

He continues to protest his innocence in the controversial Libyan money affair and posted a message on X as he was driven to jail:

“I have no doubt. Truth will prevail. But how crushing the price will have been. With unwavering strength I tell [the French people] it is not a former president they are locking up this morning – it is an innocent man. Do not feel sorry for me because my wife and my children are by my side… but this morning I feel deep sorrow for a France humiliated by a will for revenge.”

Moments after Sarkozy entered the prison, his lawyer Christophe Ingrain said a request for his release had been filed.

“Nothing justified his imprisonment. He’ll be inside for at least three weeks or a month,” Ingrain said.

Sarkozy has stated he does not want special treatment at La Santé prison, although he was placed in its isolation section for his own safety, as other inmates include notorious drug offenders and individuals convicted of terror offences.

WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.