Paris: Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to become the first French leader in living memory to serve prison time, as he begins a five-year sentence on Tuesday at Paris’s La Santé Prison.
Sarkozy was convicted of criminal conspiracy for allegedly financing his 2007 presidential campaign with funds from Libya — charges he continues to deny. Despite his appeal, a Paris court ruled he must begin serving his sentence immediately due to the “serious disruption to public order” caused by the offense.
The 70-year-old will likely be placed in solitary confinement or the “vulnerable inmates” section, commonly called the VIP wing, for security reasons. La Santé, opened in 1867 and recently renovated, has held many infamous prisoners, including Capt. Alfred Dreyfus and Carlos the Jackal.
“It’s not Nicolas Sarkozy, president of the Republic, that’s coming … It’s a man, and he will live exactly the same thing that everyone does,” said former inmate Pierre Botton, who served time in La Santé’s VIP section between 2020 and 2022.
Sarkozy has vowed to face imprisonment with dignity, telling La Tribune Dimanche,
“I’m not afraid of prison. I’ll hold my head high, including in front of the doors of La Santé. I’ll fight till the end.”
He reportedly has a small bag ready, containing clothes and ten family photos, as well as three books — The Count of Monte Cristo (in two volumes) and a biography of Jesus Christ.
His son Louis Sarkozy has called for a public show of support outside the family’s Paris residence, while his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has been posting tributes and photos of their family online.
According to Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, Sarkozy will personally be received at La Santé on Tuesday, where the minister plans to ensure his security arrangements are adequate.
Inside the VIP wing, Sarkozy is expected to occupy a nine-square-metre cell — equipped with a small bed, hot plate, pay TV, mini-fridge, and a monitored landline for outgoing calls.
Former inmates described the shock of incarceration that awaits him.
“They’ll take his photo, search his clothes, and give him a number,” said Patrick Balkany, a longtime friend who served five months in the same prison. “The hardest part is when you arrive in your cell — it’s a shock.”
Botton echoed that sentiment, recalling his first night behind bars:
“I went from a 1,200-square-metre mansion to nine square metres. At 7 pm, when everything locks down, you’re alone. The game is finished.”
