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While he arrived at La Santé prison this week, the former French leader shared a declaration brimming with opposition via social media, asserting, "It's not a ex-leader of the nation facing incarceration today, it's an wrongfully accused individual." A court of appeal will eventually decide regarding the accuracy of that statement. Yet sadly for Mr Sarkozy, the turmoil and significance of his decline cannot be dismissed.

The Guilty Verdict

President of France from 2007 to 2012, the former president was found guilty of illegal collaboration to obtain illicit campaign funds from the regime of the late Libyan dictator, the Libyan strongman. Handed a five-year sentence, he has emerged as the first former leader of an EU member state to go behind bars, and the first French leader since the disgraced head of the Vichy regime, Philippe Pétain. In a country where the democratically selected head of state enjoys a near-royal standing, the recent extraordinary spectacle was a defining instance.

Citizen Confidence and Judicial Responsibility

At a time when trust in government bodies in France has plummeted to the degree where alarms are sounding, it was also a salutary demonstration that no one is above the law. As per a study released recently, two-thirds of respondents indicated that they felt a most of politicians were corrupt, and the vast majority reported that many behaved predominantly out of personal gain. When convicting Mr Sarkozy and mandating that his incarceration should start immediately, the presiding magistrate, Nathalie Gavarino, said that she took into account both the exceptionally grave nature of the crimes and the fact that they were "potentially erode citizens' trust."

Judicial Threats

Such reflections might be deemed typical, particularly since that Mr Sarkozy has before been found guilty in distinct bribery proceedings. But the legal proceedings and its aftermath have disturbingly laid bare the scope to which across the country, as in various states, the rule of law is threatened by a newly fashionable disrespect toward legal institutions and the try to influence of the popular view.

Following a populist playbook, an exhaustive and meticulous court case has been groundlessly presented by his backers as a judicial plot and ideological revenge. After the verdict in September, the former president openly condemned his sentence as illegal and condemned the "hostility" with "no limits" that supposedly drove it. While prominent officials and supporters from the traditional and radical have saturated public discourse and right-leaning media with the same talking points, Ms Gavarino has obtained numerous death threats.

Societal Feedback

Hearteningly, the population does not appear to be buying it. A post-verdict poll found significant majorities supporting both the handling of the legal case and his punishment. However the drama, and the obvious try to damage the credibility of the legal system, was very likely merely a dress rehearsal. In January, Marine Le Pen's appeal against a judgment for diversion of electoral finances will be heard. If unsuccessful, the far-right National Rally leader will be ruled out from competing in the future campaign.

Future Implications

Within a divided and skeptical country, that will be a dangerous time for the national legal system to navigate. Mr Sarkozy may yet be released before his own appeal, after an application by his attorneys. However the unfounded and damaging assaults on the legal system throughout his case have set a damaging precedent.