The Former President's First Day in Prison: No Individual Is Above Legal Justice

While he made his way at La Santé prison on Tuesday, Nicolas Sarkozy published a message filled with defiance via social media, writing, "It's not a ex-leader of the republic who is being jailed this morning, it's an innocent man." A court of appeal will in time rule on the accuracy of his claim. Yet sadly for the ex-president, the turmoil and significance of his decline cannot simply be wished away.

The Guilty Verdict

France's leader from 2007 to 2012, Mr Sarkozy was convicted of illegal collaboration to acquire illegal financing from the regime of the late Libyan dictator, the Libyan strongman. Sentenced to a half-decade incarceration, he has emerged as the first former leader of an EU member state to enter prison, and the initial French president since the disgraced head of the Vichy regime, Philippe Pétain. Across France where the elected president holds a quasi-monarchical status, Tuesday's remarkable event was a historic occasion.

Public Trust and Legal Accountability

In an era when confidence in political systems in France has declined drastically to the degree where the lights are flashing red, it was also a sobering reminder that everyone is subject to the law. As per a study published this week, two-thirds of respondents indicated that they thought a most of politicians were unethical, and almost 90% said that the majority operated primarily out of personal gain. When convicting the former president and directing that his sentence should begin without delay, the presiding magistrate, Nathalie Gavarino, declared that she considered both the profoundly severe aspect of the crimes and the fact that they were "potentially erode citizens' trust."

Courtroom Struggles

These considerations might be seen as ordinary, notably because that Mr Sarkozy has before been found guilty in distinct bribery proceedings. Yet the legal proceedings and its consequences have disturbingly laid bare the extent to which in France, as in other countries, the judicial framework is endangered by a recently popular disrespect toward legal institutions and the try to influence of public opinion.

In Trumpian fashion, an exhaustive and meticulous judicial procedure has been falsely depicted by the former president's allies as a legal conspiracy and political retaliation. Subsequent to the decision recently, the ex-leader effectively denounced his punishment as illegal and condemned the "animosity" with "no restraints" that allegedly motivated it. While high-ranking leaders and supporters from the right and far right have filled the airwaves and right-leaning media with the identical arguments, Ms Gavarino has been subjected to multiple threats.

Public Response

Encouragingly, the citizens largely rejects this narrative. A post-verdict poll found significant majorities supporting both the handling of the courtroom process and his conviction. But the turmoil, and the naked attempt to weaken the standing of the legal system, was in all likelihood only a preliminary test. Next year, the National Rally figure's appeal against a conviction for diversion of electoral finances will take place. If the appeal fails, the political candidate will be disqualified from running in the upcoming election.

Future Implications

Across a fragmented and doubtful society, that will be a risky period for the national legal system to handle. Mr Sarkozy could still be freed ahead of his next legal challenge, subsequent to a petition by his lawyers. However the reckless and unfounded criticisms on the judicial framework at all stages of his case have established a harmful example.