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As he made his way at La Santé prison on Tuesday, Nicolas Sarkozy published a declaration filled with resistance on X, writing, "It's not a ex-leader of the nation facing incarceration this morning, it's an wrongfully accused individual." The appeals judiciary is set to rule on the veracity of this assertion. Yet sadly for the ex-president, the drama and significance of his downfall cannot simply be wished away.

The Guilty Verdict

The French head of state from 2007 to 2012, the former president was found guilty of unlawful plotting to acquire prohibited donations from the administration of the late Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi. Given a five-year sentence, he has emerged as the pioneering past president of an EU member state to enter prison, and the earliest French head of state since the dishonored head of wartime France, Philippe Pétain. Within a nation where the chosen leader enjoys a quasi-monarchical status, the recent unprecedented scene was a historic occasion.

National Faith and Judicial Responsibility

At a time when confidence in political systems in France has declined drastically to the degree where the lights are flashing red, it was also a sobering reminder that everyone is subject to the law. In a poll released recently, a majority of participants stated that they thought a majority of elected officials were corrupt, and nearly nine out of 10 said that many acted mainly out of self-interest. While judging Mr Sarkozy and directing that his incarceration should begin without delay, the court official, the judicial authority, said that she considered both the profoundly severe aspect of the offences and the fact that they were "likely to undermine the people's faith."

Courtroom Struggles

These considerations might be deemed typical, particularly since that Mr Sarkozy has before been convicted in distinct bribery proceedings. Yet the Sarkozy trial and its fallout have alarmingly revealed the degree to which within the nation, as in other countries, the judicial framework is jeopardized by a increasingly common contempt for the judiciary and the attempted manipulation of the popular view.

Following a populist playbook, an thorough and detailed court case has been groundlessly presented by the former president's allies as a judicial plot and ideological revenge. Following the ruling in September, the former president publicly criticized his sentence as illegal and decried the "hostility" with "no boundaries" that supposedly drove it. While senior politicians and backers from the traditional and radical have saturated public discourse and conservative press with the same talking points, the judicial figure has obtained numerous death threats.

Citizen Reaction

Hearteningly, the population does not appear to be buying it. A survey after the ruling found comfortable majorities supporting both the handling of Mr Sarkozy's trial and his sentencing. However the drama, and the naked attempt to damage the credibility of the legal system, was in all likelihood merely a dress rehearsal. During winter, the far-right leader's court petition against a judgment for misuse of campaign money will occur. If the appeal fails, the political candidate will be disqualified from running in the future campaign.

Long-term Effects

Across a fragmented and doubtful society, that will be a dangerous time for the French judiciary to navigate. The former president could still be freed ahead of his next legal challenge, following a request by his attorneys. But the reckless and unfounded criticisms on the judicial framework at all stages of his proceedings have set a damaging precedent.