Regulation

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy Begins Prison Sentence

On Tue, Oct 3, 2023, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy commenced a five-year prison term following his conviction in September for conspiring to finance his 2007 election campaign with funds from Libya.

Historical Context

Sarkozy, who served as the conservative president of France from 2007 to 2012, is the first former leader of modern France to be imprisoned. The decision was made due to the “seriousness of the disruption to public order caused by the offense,” according to the Paris judge overseeing the case.

Incarceration Details

• Sarkozy will be held in solitary confinement for security reasons.
• His legal team has filed a request for parole, aiming to expedite his release.

Sarkozy has publicly contested both the conviction and the judge’s decision to imprison him pending appeal. He plans to document his experiences in a book.

For additional information, please refer to the official announcements from the French judicial authorities.