Sarkozy's First Day in Prison: No Citizen Stands Above the Law

While he arrived at the Parisian detention facility this week, Nicolas Sarkozy shared a statement filled with resistance via social media, stating, "This isn't a ex-leader of the nation entering prison today, it's an wrongfully accused individual." The appeals judiciary will eventually rule on the veracity of his claim. But unfortunately for the ex-president, the turmoil and significance of his decline cannot be ignored.

The Legal Judgment

The French head of state during the 2007-2012 term, Mr Sarkozy was judged culpable of illegal collaboration to obtain illicit campaign funds from the administration of the late Libyan dictator, Colonel Gaddafi. Handed a half-decade incarceration, he has been recorded as the pioneering past president of an EU country to go behind bars, and the first French leader since the shamed head of the Vichy regime, the Vichy leader. In a country where the democratically selected head of state enjoys a near-royal standing, this week's remarkable event was a seminal moment.

Citizen Confidence and Judicial Responsibility

In an era when confidence in political systems in France has declined drastically to the point where alarms are sounding, it was also a salutary demonstration that everyone is subject to the law. As per a study issued recently, a majority of participants said that they felt a majority of elected officials were dishonest, and nearly nine out of 10 claimed that the majority acted mainly out of self-interest. When convicting Mr Sarkozy and ordering that his incarceration should commence promptly, the judge, Nathalie Gavarino, noted that she considered both the exceptionally grave nature of the offences and the fact that they were "potentially erode public confidence."

Legal Challenges

These considerations might be deemed typical, notably because that Mr Sarkozy has in the past been found guilty in other graft trials. But the legal proceedings and its fallout have disturbingly laid bare the degree to which within the nation, as in various states, the judicial framework is threatened by a recently popular disdain for courts and the try to influence of the popular view.

Using divisive tactics, an comprehensive and precise court case has been falsely depicted by the former president's allies as a judicial plot and political retaliation. After the verdict last month, the ex-leader publicly criticized his punishment as unlawful and condemned the "hostility" with "no limits" that supposedly drove it. While senior politicians and supporters from the traditional and radical have saturated public discourse and right-leaning media with the same talking points, Ms Gavarino has received numerous death threats.

Societal Feedback

Encouragingly, the population does not appear to be buying it. Research following the judgment found clear majorities backing both the handling of the courtroom process and his sentencing. However the spectacle, and the naked attempt to undermine the reputation of the judicial system, was most probably merely a dress rehearsal. In January, the far-right leader's court petition against a guilty verdict for misuse of campaign money will be heard. Should she lose it, the conservative figure will be excluded from competing in the upcoming election.

Long-term Effects

Across a fragmented and doubtful society, that will be a risky period for the French judiciary to handle. Mr Sarkozy may yet be released ahead of his next legal challenge, after an application by his lawyers. Yet the reckless and unfounded criticisms on the legal system throughout his proceedings have created a negative standard.