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As he arrived at La Santé prison this week, Nicolas Sarkozy published a message overflowing with defiance via social media, stating, "This isn't a former president of the nation who is being jailed this morning, it's an innocent man." The appeals judiciary will in time decide regarding the accuracy of that statement. But unfortunately for Mr Sarkozy, the turmoil and importance of his fall cannot simply be wished away.

The Legal Judgment

The French head of state between 2007 and 2012, the former president was judged culpable of unlawful plotting to secure illegal financing from the regime of the deceased Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi. Handed a five-year prison term, he has emerged as the first former leader of an EU country to be imprisoned, and the initial French president since the shamed head of wartime France, Philippe Pétain. Within a nation where the chosen leader enjoys a quasi-monarchical status, Tuesday's unprecedented scene was a historic occasion.

Citizen Confidence and Legal Consequences

During a period when trust in government bodies in France has collapsed to the point where the lights are flashing red, it was also a salutary demonstration that everyone is subject to the law. According to a survey issued recently, a majority of participants said that they felt a large number of elected officials were corrupt, and almost 90% said that the majority operated primarily out of individual benefit. When convicting the former president and ordering that his sentence should start immediately, the judge, the judicial authority, noted that she considered both the exceptionally grave nature of the violations and the fact that they were "likely to undermine public confidence."

Judicial Threats

Those thoughts might be deemed typical, notably because that the ex-president has previously been found guilty in distinct bribery proceedings. However the former president's case and its consequences have troublingly exposed the extent to which within the nation, as in different nations, the legal system is threatened by a recently popular disdain for courts and the attempted manipulation of public opinion.

In Trumpian fashion, an comprehensive and precise judicial procedure has been baselessly portrayed by the former president's allies as a courtroom scheme and leftwing vendetta. After the verdict last month, the former president effectively denounced his sentence as unlawful and decried the "hatred" with "no boundaries" that supposedly drove it. Since senior politicians and supporters from the right and far right have filled the airwaves and right-leaning media with the similar rhetoric, Ms Gavarino has obtained various menaces.

Societal Feedback

Hearteningly, the population does not appear to be buying it. A post-verdict poll found clear majorities supporting both the conduct of the legal case and his conviction. However the spectacle, and the obvious try to weaken the standing of the judicial system, was in all likelihood just a trial run. In January, Marine Le Pen's appeal against a guilty verdict for embezzlement of political funds will take place. If unsuccessful, the far-right National Rally leader will be excluded from competing in the 2027 presidential race.

Future Implications

Within a divided and skeptical country, that will be a perilous moment for the country's courts to handle. Mr Sarkozy might eventually exit prior to his appeal hearing, subsequent to a petition by his attorneys. But the reckless and unfounded criticisms on the court system throughout his case have created a negative standard.