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While he arrived at the Parisian detention facility on Tuesday, Nicolas Sarkozy posted a message overflowing with opposition via social media, stating, "This isn't a ex-leader of the republic entering prison today, but rather an innocent man." The appeals judiciary will in time decide regarding the accuracy of his claim. Yet sadly for the ex-president, the turmoil and impact of his downfall cannot be dismissed.

The Guilty Verdict

The French head of state from 2007 to 2012, the former president was convicted of unlawful plotting to secure prohibited donations from the regime of the late Libyan dictator, Colonel Gaddafi. Sentenced to a five-year sentence, he has become the pioneering past president of an European Union nation to be imprisoned, and the first French leader since the shamed head of the Vichy regime, Marshal Pétain. In a country where the democratically selected head of state enjoys a almost king-like position, the recent unprecedented scene was a historic occasion.

National Faith and Legal Accountability

At a time when faith in political institutions in France has plummeted to the degree where alarms are sounding, it was also a sobering reminder that everyone is subject to the law. According to a survey issued this week, a majority of participants said that they felt a large number of politicians were corrupt, and the vast majority reported that the majority operated primarily out of self-interest. When convicting the former president and ordering that his prison term should start immediately, the court official, the judicial authority, declared that she factored in both the extremely serious character of the offences and the fact that they were "could damage public confidence."

Courtroom Struggles

These considerations might be considered unexceptional, especially given that the ex-president has in the past been convicted in other graft trials. But the legal proceedings and its aftermath have alarmingly revealed the scope to which within the nation, as in various states, the judicial framework is endangered by a increasingly common disdain for courts and the try to influence of public opinion.

In Trumpian fashion, an comprehensive and precise judicial procedure has been baselessly portrayed by the former president's allies as a judicial plot and leftwing vendetta. Following the ruling last month, the ex-leader effectively denounced his sentence as unlawful and condemned the "animosity" with "no boundaries" that allegedly motivated it. As high-ranking leaders and backers from the conservative and extremist have filled the airwaves and right-leaning media with the identical arguments, the judge has obtained multiple threats.

Citizen Reaction

Reassuringly, the population largely rejects this narrative. A survey after the ruling found comfortable majorities backing both the conduct of Mr Sarkozy's trial and his punishment. But the drama, and the naked attempt to weaken the standing of the judicial system, was most probably just a trial run. Next year, the National Rally figure's legal challenge against a conviction for diversion of electoral finances will occur. If the appeal fails, the political candidate will be excluded from running in the upcoming election.

Coming Consequences

In a polarised and mistrustful nation, that will be a perilous moment for the national legal system to navigate. The former president might eventually exit ahead of his next legal challenge, following a request by his lawyers. However the reckless and unfounded criticisms on the legal system throughout his proceedings have created a negative standard.