World News: Nicolas Sarkozy Jailed: French Ex-President Begins Sentence for Gaddafi Campaign Funding Conspiracy

Nicolas Sarkozy, former President of France, has become the first French ex-president since World War Two to be jailed, as he begins a five-year sentence for conspiring to fund his 2007 election campaign with illicit money from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The last French ex-leader to be imprisoned was Nazi collaborationist Philippe Pétain in 1945 for treason.

The Charges and Sarkozy's Stance

Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, has appealed his jail term at La Santé prison in Paris, where he occupies a small cell in the isolation wing. The 70-year-old former leader vehemently protests his innocence in the highly controversial Libyan money affair. As he was driven to the prison, he posted a message on X, stating, "Truth will prevail. But how crushing the price will have been. It isn't a former president they're locking up this morning - it's an innocent man.

Prison Conditions and Legal Moves

Sarkozy's cell, measuring 9-11 sq m, includes a toilet, shower, desk, small electric hob, and a television (for a monthly fee). He's allowed one hour of daily exercise in solitary confinement. His lawyer, Christophe Ingrain, immediately filed a request for his release, asserting that nothing justifies his imprisonment and expecting him to be inside for at least three weeks or a month while the appeal process unfolds.

Official Reactions and Ongoing Legal Battles

President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged receiving his predecessor on a human level but stressed it wasn't his role to comment on judicial decisions. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin announced he would visit Sarkozy in prison to ensure his safety and proper functioning of the jail. Sarkozy has faced numerous criminal inquiries since leaving office, including a prior. Conviction for bribing a magistrate, which led to him wearing an electronic tag. He also awaits a verdict on an appeal against a six-month jail term in the Bygmalion illegal campaign financing case, while sarkozy reportedly took two books to prison: a life of Jesus and Alexandre Dumas's 'The Count of Monte Cristo'.