Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy entered La Santé prison in Paris on 21 October to begin a five-year sentence in the “Libya case,” becoming the first modern French head of state to be jailed.

The 69-year-old former leader maintains he is innocent, denounces the ruling as politically driven, and vows to keep challenging the verdict through every stage of appeal.

The Verdict And What It Means

The Paris criminal court on 25 September found Sarkozy guilty of criminal conspiracy over an alleged scheme to draw covert financing from Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya for the 2007 campaign, while acquitting him of passive corruption, concealment of embezzlement and illicit campaign financing.

Prosecutors argued he orchestrated a network to solicit and channel funds; the court ordered immediate incarceration pending appeal due to the seriousness of the offense.

His transfer to prison marks an institutional watershed in France, where former leaders have faced trials before but not actual jail time in the Fifth Republic era. Outside commentators stressed the historic nature of the ruling and the pressure it places on political allies as the appeal proceeds in higher courts.

Inside La Santé And His First Day

Sarkozy arrived at La Santé under police escort and is to be held in a secure single cell for safety reasons. Reporters on site said he prepared for the transition with personal items and reiterated on social media that “an innocent man is being locked up,” pledging to “fight till the end.”

From inside the facility, inmates were heard shouting “Welcome, Sarkozy!” and “Sarkozy is here!” as he entered; on X, he declared, “This morning, an innocent man enters prison.”

These scenes underscored how the moment resonated well beyond politics, into France’s penal and public spheres.

Political Shockwaves And Legal Next Steps

Supporters gathered outside his home as he departed; his lawyers criticized the order to jail him before appeals conclude and filed for release.

The defense frames the case as politically motivated and signals a multi-front legal fight ahead, including a bid to adjust detention conditions.

For the French political class, the case reopens unresolved questions about campaign-finance oversight and foreign influence in past contests. Civil-society groups that tracked the investigation called the September ruling “historic,” while analysts say any appellate relief could take months.