Ex-French president Nicolas Sarkozy begins prison term

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy became the first post-war former head of state to cross the threshold of a penitentiary on Tuesday to serve a sentence behind bars. He entered the Santé prison in Paris and hopes to be released as soon as possible, as he will most likely request parole quickly. He has already appealed the September 25 sentence, which handed down five years for criminal conspiracy in a case investigating the illegal financing of his 2007 presidential campaign by the Libyan regime of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

Sarkozy, 70, was scheduled to arrive at 10:00 a.m. He was permitted to report to the prison by car, not on foot like other detainees. There are 754 inmates at the Santé prison, in excess of its capacity, but Sarkozy will be taken directly to an isolation area so he will not come into contact with other prisoners. He was scheduled to be received by the prison governor.

Despite the protocol to make his arrival as discreet as possible, the event was heavily covered in the media. One of his sons, Louis Sarkozy, provided the clue, making a call on social media at 8:30 a.m. to all those who wanted to show support for his father. He even revealed the address. He was followed by a procession of motorcycles with cameras.

After being convicted, Sarkozy denounced a coup by the rule of law. He maintains his innocence and has received support from some in the political class. French President Emmanuel Macron received him last Friday at the Élysée Palace. On Monday, a day after the unprecedented robbery at the Louvre Museum, Macron justified himself by stating that it was “normal on a personal and human level” to receive one of his predecessors. “I have always expressed my position regarding the independence of the judiciary,” the head of state added after being asked about the issue during a trip to Slovenia.

On Monday, Sarkozy received a visit from former prime minister Édouard Balladur (1993-1995), and even Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said he would visit him in prison to verify the security conditions he would be under. “I go to prisons several times a week,” he said, justifying his statement following criticism from the judiciary unions, which have denounced preferential treatment.

Far from keeping a low profile, Sarkozy has used these past few weeks to proclaim his innocence and even posted a video on social media thanking the French people for their support. Some media outlets are already calling him “Saint Sarkozy, the martyr.” “I’m not afraid of going to prison,” he has repeatedly said. Le Figaro reported that he is taking a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo with him to the jail.

A Paris court sentenced Sarkozy to five years after finding it proven that, between 2005 and 2007, he maneuvered to obtain support from the Gaddafi regime to finance his campaign for the Élysée Palace. He was then Interior Minister. It was proven that he attempted this, but not that the money ultimately reached him, so he was acquitted of charges of corruption and embezzlement. The court ordered his imprisonment, despite his appeal, due to the “exceptional gravity of the facts.”

He was not, however, forced to report immediately to jail so that he could resolve his professional affairs, and was summoned last week to be notified of the day he would be entering prison: October 21.

Despite being implicated in several cases and having already been sentenced to one year in prison (which he served under house arrest, with an electronic tag), Sarkozy has received support from a section of the right-wing political class. Even far-right leader Marine Le Pen has come to his defense.

Santé prison is one of the few penitentiaries equipped in terms of security to house a former president. It was recently remodeled and has somewhat more comfortable individual cells. The fact that Sarkozy is being held in isolation is part of a protection protocol. Several officers will accompany him throughout his movements, and whenever he goes, he will be prevented from crossing paths with other detainees. He will have access to the gym and the library. He isn’t expected to spend much time behind bars, as his lawyers can request parole from the day of his incarceration, although the decision could take several weeks.

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