Former French President Sarkozy Begins Prison Sentence for Libyan Funding Scandal

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has begun serving a five-year prison sentence at La Santé prison in Paris following his conviction for criminal conspiracy related to illicit campaign funding from Libya's regime under Muammar Gaddafi during the 2007 presidential election. This historic sentence marks Sarkozy as the first former head of state of an EU country, and the first post-war French leader, to be imprisoned. Sarkozy, who has appealed the verdict and maintains his innocence, is expected to be held in solitary confinement within the prison's "VIP quarters," designed for high-profile inmates, with a small cell of about nine square meters and daily solitary outdoor time for security reasons. Despite the conviction, public opinion in France remains divided, with a significant portion of the populace viewing the sentence as fair, while Sarkozy himself has described the ruling as an "injustice" but stated he will face imprisonment with dignity. His lawyers plan to seek his release pending appeal review, and the court will determine whether he remains incarcerated or is granted judicial supervision or home arrest. The case underscores the exceptional gravity of the offenses, involving secret deals to illegally finance Sarkozy's campaign in exchange for political favors to rehabilitate Libya's international image.