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As he made his way at the Parisian detention facility this week, the former French leader shared a declaration overflowing with opposition via social media, stating, "This isn't a former president of the republic facing incarceration this morning, but rather an innocent man." A court of appeal will in time decide regarding the truthfulness of his claim. Yet sadly for Mr Sarkozy, the drama and significance of his decline cannot simply be wished away.

The Guilty Verdict

France's leader from 2007 to 2012, the former president was judged culpable of criminal conspiracy to obtain illicit campaign funds from the government of the deceased Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi. Handed a five-year prison term, he has emerged as the pioneering past president of an EU country to enter prison, and the earliest French head of state since the dishonored head of the Vichy regime, Marshal Pétain. In a country where the democratically selected head of state holds a quasi-monarchical status, the recent remarkable event was a defining instance.

National Faith and Judicial Responsibility

At a time when confidence in political systems in France has collapsed to the point where the lights are flashing red, it was also a instructive example that everyone is subject to the law. According to a survey released this week, two-thirds of respondents stated that they believed a large number of elected officials were dishonest, and almost 90% claimed that many behaved predominantly out of personal gain. In sentencing Mr Sarkozy and mandating that his incarceration should commence promptly, the court official, the judge, declared that she considered both the exceptionally grave nature of the crimes and the fact that they were "potentially erode citizens' trust."

Legal Challenges

Such reflections might be seen as ordinary, particularly since that Mr Sarkozy has previously been sentenced in distinct bribery proceedings. But the former president's case and its consequences have troublingly exposed the degree to which in France, as in various states, the rule of law is jeopardized by a recently popular contempt for the judiciary and the try to influence of the popular view.

Using divisive tactics, an exhaustive and meticulous court case has been falsely depicted by his backers as a legal conspiracy and leftwing vendetta. After the verdict in September, the former president openly condemned his judgment as illegal and censured the "hatred" with "no boundaries" that reportedly inspired it. As prominent officials and supporters from the conservative and extremist have dominated media discussions and right-leaning media with the identical arguments, Ms Gavarino has received various menaces.

Public Response

Hearteningly, the population seems unconvinced. Research following the judgment found clear majorities backing both the conduct of the courtroom process and his punishment. But the drama, and the blatant effort to undermine the reputation of the judicial system, was most probably merely a dress rehearsal. During winter, Marine Le Pen's appeal against a conviction for misuse of campaign money will occur. Should she lose it, the political candidate will be excluded from participating in the 2027 presidential race.

Future Implications

Across a fragmented and doubtful society, that will be a perilous moment for the French judiciary to manage. Mr Sarkozy may yet be released before his own appeal, after an application by his lawyers. However the unfounded and damaging assaults on the court system throughout his trial have established a harmful example.