Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been released conditionally from La Santé prison in Paris. He was currently about one year into a five-year sentence on a criminal conspiracy charge. Sarkozy was found guilty for his involvement in a conspiracy to obtain illegal campaign financing. He raised this cash from the aid of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi throughout his profitable presidential run in 2007.
On October 21, 2023, Sarkozy began serving his term. It was a historic moment, as he became the first former prime minister or other head of state from any European Union member nation to go to prison. In addition, he is the first postwar president of France to go to jail. During his custody, Sarkozy faced 24h in solitude for security reasons. He was confined to a tiny single person cell that included its own shower and toilet.
Upon his release, Sarkozy will be subject to strict judicial controls. During the subsequent three-month period, he will have to wear an electronic tag. During this period, he is not allowed to speak with anyone connected with his case. As a complement to that sentence, he is prohibited from leaving French territory for five years. Even in the face of his conviction—which was handed down in September 2021—Sarkozy has repeatedly maintained his innocence and appealed the ruling.
The Paris appeal court granted Sarkozy’s request to serve the remainder of his sentence at home. They found the systemic disregard for the conditions he would face in custody. This decision does underscore the legal hurdles in bringing this specific case. It takes into account the former president’s enduring popularity as a heavyweight on the French political stage.
Prosecutors have sought to downplay the emotional impact that imprisonment has taken on Sarkozy, citing his conditions as “gruelling” and a “nightmare.” He said, “I never planned on soliciting Mr. Gaddafi for any type of support. I won’t plead guilty to something I have not done. I never thought that I would be in jail at 70 years old.” Instead, it’s an ordeal that I have allowed policymakers to impose on my sisters and me. I confess it’s hard, it’s very hard. Impact on any inmate It takes a toll on all inmates as it is a very hard experience.
Even while in prison, Sarkozy paid tribute to the professionalness of the custodial staff that he said treated him in a humane and civilized way. “I want to pay tribute to all the prison staff, who are exceptionally humane, and who have made this nightmare bearable – because it is a nightmare,” he remarked.
Sarkozy’s charge is criminal conspiracy. In another unrelated case, he was found guilty of corruption and influence peddling. He had to wear an electronic tag, which was a condition of his conviction. This treatment of Sarkozy by the French judiciary made him the first former French head of state to undergo enforcement measures.
The public prosecutor characterized Sarkozy’s actions as a collusive conspiracy. He referred to it as a “Faustian pact” with one of the most despicable dictators of the last 30 years. In the end, Sarkozy was found guilty on one serious charge, yet was acquitted on three other counts. Those charges ranged from corruption and misuse of Libyan public funds to unlawful election campaign funding.
As he prepares to begin this new, freer and different chapter of his life beyond prison walls, Sarkozy continues to protest his innocence, digging in his heels. His social media account yesterday posted, “The end of this story has NOT been written.” This indication may mean big things are forthcoming in the case’s legal battle.