Legal representatives for former French president Nicolas Sarkozy have stated they will work to minimize his time in custody after he received a five-year prison sentence for involvement in a scheme to secure campaign financing from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s regime.
Jean-Michel Darrois, Sarkozy’s attorney, told BFMTV on Friday that efforts would be made to reduce his detention period. Sarkozy is the first French head of state to be imprisoned.
Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, has filed an appeal against the verdict. However, a judicial decision requires him to begin serving his sentence while the appeal process continues.
Henri Guaino, a former adviser to Sarkozy, described the conviction as "a blow to the nation and its institutions" in an interview with RTL. He called on President Emmanuel Macron to grant Sarkozy clemency to prevent his imprisonment.
Macron has not publicly addressed the court’s decision.
While high-ranking members of Sarkozy’s political party, Les Républicains, have voiced support, they have refrained from requesting a pardon amid growing public skepticism toward politicians. Bruno Retailleau, the party leader, expressed solidarity but did not advocate for judicial intervention.
The 70-year-old former president is scheduled to meet with prosecutors on 13 October to confirm details of his sentence, which could begin as early as October or November. Reports suggest he may be held at La Santé prison in Paris, where detainees typically spend 23 hours a day in their cells but share communal spaces.
Once incarcerated, Sarkozy’s legal team may apply for alternative arrangements, such as electronic monitoring, pending judicial approval.
A commentary in *Le Figaro* criticized the ruling as "illogical and unjust."
However, other observers noted that politicians from various parties have faced legal consequences, including former Socialist minister Jérôme Cahuzac, who was found guilty of tax evasion.
CuriosityNews stated the outcome reaffirmed that "no one is exempt from the law."
A major judicial union highlighted that most individuals convicted of similar offenses are detained immediately, indicating Sarkozy received no preferential treatment.
Prosecutors had accused Sarkozy of forming what they described as an improper agreement with Gaddafi’s government.
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