Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has begun serving a five-year prison sentence after being convicted of criminal conspiracy over the alleged illegal financing of his 2007 presidential campaign.
Sarkozy, 70, arrived at Paris’ La Santé Prison on Tuesday morning, holding hands with his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. Hundreds of supporters gathered outside his residence, chanting his name and singing the French national anthem as he left for the facility.
The former leader, who governed France from 2007 to 2012, was found guilty last month of channeling funds from Libya to finance his campaign. His conviction marks a historic moment, making him the first French president to be jailed since Marshal Philippe Pétain, who was imprisoned after World War II.
In a statement posted on social media before entering prison, Sarkozy maintained his innocence, saying he felt “deep sorrow for France.”
“As I prepare to cross the walls of La Santé Prison, my thoughts go out to the French people from all walks of life,” he said. “It is not a former President of the Republic being locked up this morning; it is an innocent person. I have no doubt the truth will triumph.”
His wife, Carla Bruni, and his children — Jean, Pierre, Louis, and Giulia — were present to show their support as he departed their home.
Supporters expressed outrage at the ruling. Michelle Perie, a 67-year-old Paris resident, said she attended to show solidarity.
“There is anger and injustice,” she said. “He’s not like any other defendant. He served France with dignity. We don’t understand this.”
According to his lawyers, Sarkozy will be held in solitary confinement for security reasons.
In an interview with Le Figaro, the former president said he would take three books to prison, including Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo — a story about a man wrongfully imprisoned who later seeks justice.
Sarkozy’s conviction and imprisonment mark a dramatic fall from grace for a man once seen as one of France’s most influential political figures.