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As he made his way at La Santé prison on Tuesday, Nicolas Sarkozy published a statement filled with defiance via social media, writing, "It's not a former president of the nation entering prison today, it's an innocent man." A court of appeal will eventually give its view the veracity of that statement. Yet sadly for Mr Sarkozy, the spectacle and importance of his fall cannot be dismissed.

The Legal Judgment

France's leader during the 2007-2012 term, the former president was convicted of illegal collaboration to obtain prohibited donations from the regime of the late Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi. Sentenced to a half-decade incarceration, he has emerged as the first former leader of an EU member state to enter prison, and the initial French president since the dishonored head of wartime France, Philippe Pétain. Across France where the elected president possesses a almost king-like position, this week's unprecedented scene was a historic occasion.

National Faith and Judicial Responsibility

During a period when trust in government bodies in France has plummeted to the point where the lights are flashing red, it was also a instructive example that the law applies to all. In a poll published recently, two-thirds of respondents said that they thought a most of elected officials were dishonest, and nearly nine out of 10 said that most operated primarily out of individual benefit. While judging the former president and ordering that his incarceration should start immediately, the court official, the judicial authority, declared that she factored in both the extremely serious character of the crimes and the fact that they were "could damage citizens' trust."

Judicial Threats

These considerations might be deemed typical, particularly since that Mr Sarkozy has previously been found guilty in separate corruption cases. But the Sarkozy trial and its fallout have troublingly exposed the scope to which in France, as in various states, the judicial framework is threatened by a recently popular contempt for the judiciary and the attempted manipulation of public opinion.

Following a populist playbook, an thorough and detailed court case has been falsely depicted by the former president's allies as a judicial plot and political retaliation. After the verdict last month, the former president effectively denounced his judgment as invalid and condemned the "animosity" with "no limits" that allegedly motivated it. While prominent officials and backers from the right and far right have saturated public discourse and conservative press with the similar rhetoric, Ms Gavarino has received numerous death threats.

Public Response

Encouragingly, the population largely rejects this narrative. A survey after the ruling found significant majorities supporting both the proceedings of Mr Sarkozy's trial and his conviction. But the turmoil, and the blatant effort to damage the credibility of the legal system, was most probably only a preliminary test. During winter, the National Rally figure's court petition against a judgment for misuse of campaign money will occur. If unsuccessful, the far-right National Rally leader will be ruled out from participating in the 2027 presidential race.

Coming Consequences

Within a divided and skeptical country, that will be a dangerous time for the French judiciary to manage. Mr Sarkozy may yet be released ahead of his next legal challenge, subsequent to a petition by his attorneys. However the unfounded and damaging assaults on the legal system throughout his case have set a damaging precedent.