Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will begin serving his prison sentence in Paris from October 21st. The 70-year-old will be incarcerated at La Santé prison, making him the first post-war French leader—and the first former head of a European Union member state—to serve jail time.
Sarkozy was sentenced last month to five years in prison, after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy, after allegations that Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi financed his 2007 presidential campaign. He is expected to be placed under heightened security, possibly in a special unit for vulnerable prisoners or in solitary confinement.
On Monday, October 13th Sarkozy arrived at the financial prosecutor’s office in Paris to receive details of his upcoming incarceration. He left about 45 minutes later without making any comment.
In September, a Paris court found Sarkozy guilty of criminal conspiracy but cleared him of corruption and embezzlement charges. The case marks a significant blow to the reputation of a politician long admired by much of France’s Right and supported by President Emmanuel Macron.
Sarkozy has denied accusations and filed an appeal. Despite multiple ongoing legal cases, Sarkozy continues to wield influence within France’s right-wing political circles.
