Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is scheduled to begin a prison sentence on October 21 for illicit campaign financing, marking the first time a former head of state from a European Union member country will be incarcerated for a criminal conviction.
The conviction stems from a criminal conspiracy to accept illegal funding from former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi for his successful 2007 presidential election campaign. The verdict was delivered in late September.
Mr. Sarkozy, 70, has consistently maintained his innocence and has filed an appeal against the ruling, which he condemned as an “injustice.” He served as France’s right-wing president from 2007 to 2012.
Following the September 25 verdict, Sarkozy declared, “If they insist on putting me in prison, I will sleep in prison, with my head held high.”
He is slated for imprisonment at La Santé Prison in Paris. Prison officials, speaking to AFP, indicated he would likely be placed in a solitary confinement wing.
He is expected to occupy a 9-square-meter cell, a measure intended to prevent interactions with other inmates and avoid being photographed by contraband mobile phones.
Judge Nathalie Gavarrino, in announcing the sentence, characterized the offense as being of “exceptional seriousness.” She ordered immediate imprisonment despite the ongoing appeal process.
The exact duration Mr. Sarkozy will spend in prison remains uncertain. His legal team is expected to file for his immediate release upon his entry.
The appeals court has a two-month window to review this request. Should the court not grant his release, it could mandate judicial supervision or house arrest with an electronic ankle bracelet while a final decision is pending.
During this waiting period, Mr. Sarkozy is largely confined to solitary housing. He will be permitted a single daily walk in a small, enclosed yard.
His imprisonment marks the first time a French leader has been jailed since Philippe Pétain, who headed the Nazi-collaborating Vichy government and was imprisoned after World War II.
This is not Sarkozy’s first brush with the law since his 2012 election defeat. He previously received a corruption conviction for attempting to bribe a judge, serving several months under house arrest with an electronic tag.
Prosecutors in the current “Libya” case alleged that Sarkozy’s team struck a deal with Gaddafi in 2005. The arrangement reportedly involved illicit funding for his 2007 campaign in exchange for a promise to enhance Gaddafi’s international standing.
A survey by Elabe found that six out of ten French citizens consider the latest prison sentence “just.” Despite this, Mr. Sarkozy retains a strong base of support among the French right-wing.
His son, Louis Sarkozy, called on supporters to “gather and show support” for his father in front of their family home this Tuesday.