Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy sent to prison
In September, a French court found Sarkozy guilty of receiving illegal funding from the Libyan government during his 2007 presidential campaign. He was sentenced to five years in prison, fined €100,000, and banned from holding public office for five years.
The 70-year-old former leader called the ruling “erroneous and humiliating for France” and filed an appeal. Nevertheless, as of October 21, he began serving his sentence and will be held in a single-occupancy cell.
Crowds gathered outside Sarkozy’s home to support him as he left for prison, waving French flags and holding signs that read “Nicolas, come back soon”.
Sarkozy was accompanied by his wife — model and singer Carla Bruni — and one of his lawyers.
“Today they are sending not a former president, but an innocent man behind bars,” Sarkozy wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) before his departure.
Before the imprisonment, President Emmanuel Macron met with Sarkozy, later telling BFMTV that their meeting was “nothing extraordinary.”
“It’s only human to meet one of my predecessors,” Macron said in an interview.
About Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy served as President of France from 2007 to 2012 and is known for his tough stance on immigration. After leaving office, he remained active in politics, leading the Republican Party.
He is married to singer and former supermodel Carla Bruni, with whom he has a daughter.
In late September 2025, Sarkozy was officially sentenced to five years in prison, though part of the term is subject to appeal.