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

As he arrived at La Santé prison this week, Nicolas Sarkozy published a declaration overflowing with defiance via social media, writing, "It's not a former president of the nation who is being jailed this morning, it's an wrongfully accused individual." The appeals judiciary will in time decide regarding the truthfulness of this assertion. Yet sadly for the ex-president, the spectacle and importance of his fall cannot simply be wished away.

The Guilty Verdict

France's leader from 2007 to 2012, Mr Sarkozy was convicted of illegal collaboration to obtain prohibited donations from the government of the deceased Libyan leader, the Libyan strongman. Given a five-year prison term, he has become the first former leader of an EU country to enter prison, and the earliest French head of state since the disgraced head of wartime France, the Vichy leader. Across France where the democratically selected head of state holds a quasi-monarchical status, this week's remarkable event was a historic occasion.

National Faith and Judicial Responsibility

During a period when faith in political institutions in France has plummeted to the extent where alarms are sounding, it was also a instructive example that the law applies to all. In a poll released on Tuesday, over 65% of those surveyed said that they felt a majority of elected officials were unethical, and almost 90% claimed that the majority acted mainly out of personal gain. While judging Mr Sarkozy and ordering that his prison term should begin without delay, the judge, the judge, declared that she took into account both the extremely serious character of the offences and the fact that they were "likely to undermine the people's faith."

Courtroom Struggles

These considerations might be considered unexceptional, especially given that the ex-president has before been sentenced in other graft trials. But the former president's case and its consequences have alarmingly revealed the scope to which within the nation, as in various states, the rule of law is jeopardized by a recently popular disrespect toward legal institutions and the attempted manipulation of the popular view.

In Trumpian fashion, an thorough and detailed court case has been groundlessly presented by the former president's allies as a courtroom scheme and ideological revenge. After the verdict recently, the former president publicly criticized his punishment as invalid and censured the "hatred" with "no restraints" that supposedly drove it. Since senior politicians and backers from the conservative and extremist have filled the airwaves and right-leaning media with the same talking points, the judge has obtained multiple threats.

Citizen Reaction

Encouragingly, the citizens largely rejects this narrative. A post-verdict poll found comfortable majorities backing both the handling of Mr Sarkozy's trial and his conviction. But the drama, and the naked attempt to weaken the standing of the legal system, was in all likelihood merely a dress rehearsal. In January, the National Rally figure's court petition against a conviction for diversion of electoral finances will be heard. If unsuccessful, the conservative figure will be disqualified from competing in the upcoming election.

Coming Consequences

Within a divided and skeptical country, that will be a risky period for the country's courts to manage. Mr Sarkozy could still be freed ahead of his next legal challenge, after an application by his lawyers. Yet the reckless and unfounded criticisms on the judicial framework before, during and after his proceedings have created a negative standard.