Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s former president (2007–2012), has been sentenced to five years in prison. He is charged with conspiracy in connection with a scheme to secure campaign funds from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. This verdict makes Sarkozy the first former head of an EU country to serve prison time and the first French leader since WWII to be jailed.
A Historic Fall from Power
Sarkozy entered La Santé prison in Paris after a carefully orchestrated farewell, accompanied by his wife, Carla Bruni. He was greeted by dozens of supporters shouting “Free Nicolas!” On social media, he maintained his innocence, calling his imprisonment a “judicial scandal.” His lawyers immediately filed a motion requesting his release. But the appeals court has up to two months to decide whether he can be placed under judicial supervision or house arrest instead.
The conviction stems from accusations that Sarkozy entered a “Faustian pact” with Gaddafi’s regime to fund his 2007 presidential campaign. Sarkozy committed an act the lead judge described as being of “exceptional gravity” and damaging to public trust. Although he was acquitted of three related charges, corruption, misuse of Libyan public funds, and illegal campaign financing, the conspiracy conviction alone carries a severe penalty.
Sarkozy plans to appeal the ruling, but under French law, he must begin serving his sentence while the process unfolds. He will be held in solitary confinement for security reasons. This is a small cell equipped with basic amenities, and plans to use his time to write a book. Among the few belongings he brought were family photos and The Count of Monte Cristo. A story famously known about an innocent man imprisoned unjustly, mirroring his own claims.
Sarkozy’s incarceration marks a historic and symbolic moment in French politics, highlighting the justice system’s willingness to hold even the nation’s highest leaders accountable.
Reference
Chrisafis, A. (2025, October 21). Nicolas Sarkozy enters prison to begin five-year sentence over criminal conspiracy. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/21/nicolas-sarkozy-enters-prison-paris-france