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As he arrived at La Santé prison this week, the former French leader posted a declaration filled with defiance via social media, asserting, "It's not a former president of the nation who is being jailed today, but rather an wrongfully accused individual." A court of appeal will in time decide regarding the truthfulness of this assertion. Yet sadly for Mr Sarkozy, the drama and importance of his downfall cannot simply be wished away.

The Guilty Verdict

The French head of state during the 2007-2012 term, Mr Sarkozy was found guilty of unlawful plotting to obtain illegal financing from the regime of the late Libyan dictator, Colonel Gaddafi. Handed a five-year prison term, he has become the first former leader of an EU member state to go behind bars, and the earliest French head of state since the disgraced head of wartime France, Marshal Pétain. In a country where the democratically selected head of state enjoys a near-royal standing, Tuesday's extraordinary spectacle was a defining instance.

National Faith and Legal Accountability

At a time when confidence in political systems in France has collapsed to the point where the lights are flashing red, it was also a instructive example that everyone is subject to the law. In a poll issued recently, over 65% of those surveyed indicated that they believed a majority of politicians were dishonest, and the vast majority said that most acted mainly out of personal gain. While judging the former president and directing that his prison term should start immediately, the court official, the judicial authority, noted that she factored in both the exceptionally grave nature of the offences and the fact that they were "potentially erode public confidence."

Courtroom Struggles

Such reflections might be considered unexceptional, particularly since that the ex-president has previously been sentenced in other graft trials. However the Sarkozy trial and its aftermath have disturbingly laid bare the scope to which within the nation, as in other countries, the legal system is jeopardized by a increasingly common disrespect toward legal institutions and the effort to control of public opinion.

In Trumpian fashion, an comprehensive and precise court case has been baselessly portrayed by his backers as a judicial plot and ideological revenge. Subsequent to the decision recently, the ex-leader openly condemned his sentence as illegal and decried the "hatred" with "no limits" that reportedly inspired it. Since prominent officials and backers from the right and far right have dominated media discussions and right-leaning media with the same talking points, the judge has received numerous death threats.

Citizen Reaction

Reassuringly, the citizens seems unconvinced. A post-verdict poll found significant majorities endorsing both the proceedings of the legal case and his sentencing. However the spectacle, and the blatant effort to weaken the standing of the judicial system, was most probably only a preliminary test. During winter, the National Rally figure's court petition against a judgment for embezzlement of political funds will be heard. Should she lose it, the conservative figure will be disqualified from running in the future campaign.

Long-term Effects

Across a fragmented and doubtful society, that will be a risky period for the French judiciary to manage. Mr Sarkozy could still be freed ahead of his next legal challenge, following a request by his lawyers. But the reckless and unfounded criticisms on the legal system before, during and after his proceedings have created a negative standard.