Paris — French prosecutors will fix on Monday 13 October the date Nicolas Sarkozy must report to prison, after a Paris court sentenced the former president to five years for criminal conspiracy tied to alleged Libyan financing of his victorious 2007 campaign. The court ruled the term takes effect immediately notwithstanding his appeal, an unprecedented step for a modern French head of state.
What the court decided
Judges found that, as interior minister and presidential candidate, Sarkozy enabled high-level corruption by green-lighting covert contacts between close aides and Libyan intelligence figures, including Abdullah al-Senoussi, long implicated in deadly terror attacks. The panel nonetheless cleared Sarkozy of three related counts, noting there was no proof Libyan funds directly reached his campaign or enriched him personally.
Why custody starts now
In a rare move, the court ordered immediate incarceration “given the seriousness of the disruption to public order” caused by the offence—meaning the sentence is not suspended pending appeal. French justice ministry data show most adults given at least two years are jailed at once, underscoring that Sarkozy’s case is not an outlier.
Sarkozy’s response
Sarkozy, 70, maintains his innocence, calling the verdict a “scandal” and alleging a political plot by figures linked to Muammar Gaddafi’s regime. He argues his 2011 push for international action in Libya made him a target. His legal team has lodged an appeal, with a full hearing expected in the months ahead.
Where he is likely to serve
For security, the former president is expected to be held in the “vulnerable persons” wing—often dubbed the “VIP” section—of Paris’s La Santé prison, which has previously housed high-profile inmates. Cells in that unit include a shower, small hotplate, fridge and television; movement and visits are tightly managed.
What happens next
Once incarcerated, Sarkozy can seek release from the appeals court; judges typically have up to two months to rule. A separate appeal on the merits is likely next spring. Prosecutors set the reporting date after an 18-day window the court granted for him to “organise his professional life.”
The wider French debate
Supporters say ordering custody despite the appeal clashes with the presumption of innocence, a debate sharpened since far-right leader Marine Le Pen received an immediate five-year ban from holding public office pending her own appeal. A Paris court has scheduled Le Pen’s appeal hearing for January.
Background: Sarkozy led France from 2007 to 2012 and remains influential on the right despite multiple legal troubles. His conviction marks the first time in the Fifth Republic that a former president faces actual prison time.
