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While he was transported at La Santé prison this week, Nicolas Sarkozy published a declaration filled with resistance via social media, writing, "It's not a ex-leader of the republic facing incarceration this morning, it's an wrongfully accused individual." A court of appeal will eventually rule on the truthfulness of his claim. But unfortunately for Mr Sarkozy, the turmoil and significance of his decline cannot be dismissed.

The Guilty Verdict

The French head of state during the 2007-2012 term, Mr Sarkozy was judged culpable of criminal conspiracy to obtain illicit campaign funds from the government of the former Libyan ruler, Muammar Gaddafi. Given a half-decade incarceration, he has become the initial ex-head of an European Union nation to be imprisoned, and the initial French president since the disgraced head of wartime France, the Vichy leader. Across France where the elected president possesses a almost king-like position, this week's unprecedented scene was a historic occasion.

Public Trust and Legal Accountability

During a period when faith in political institutions in France has declined drastically to the degree where the lights are flashing red, it was also a instructive example that the law applies to all. As per a study issued recently, a majority of participants said that they thought a large number of government figures were unethical, and almost 90% reported that the majority operated primarily out of self-interest. When convicting Mr Sarkozy and mandating that his incarceration should start immediately, the judge, the judicial authority, declared that she factored in both the profoundly severe aspect of the violations and the fact that they were "likely to undermine citizens' trust."

Courtroom Struggles

Those thoughts might be seen as ordinary, notably because that Mr Sarkozy has in the past been convicted in other graft trials. Yet the Sarkozy trial and its consequences have alarmingly revealed the degree to which across the country, as in other countries, the rule of law is endangered by a newly fashionable disrespect toward legal institutions and the attempted manipulation of societal perspectives.

Following a populist playbook, an comprehensive and precise judicial procedure has been falsely depicted by his backers as a legal conspiracy and leftwing vendetta. Subsequent to the decision last month, the ex-leader publicly criticized his punishment as illegal and decried the "hatred" with "no boundaries" that supposedly drove it. Since high-ranking leaders and backers from the conservative and extremist have saturated public discourse and right-leaning media with the identical arguments, the judge has been subjected to numerous death threats.

Citizen Reaction

Hearteningly, the population does not appear to be buying it. A survey after the ruling found significant majorities backing both the conduct of the courtroom process and his punishment. However the turmoil, and the obvious try to undermine the reputation of the legal system, was very likely just a trial run. During winter, the far-right leader's appeal against a conviction for embezzlement of political funds will be heard. If unsuccessful, the political candidate will be disqualified from competing in the upcoming election.

Long-term Effects

Within a divided and skeptical country, that will be a dangerous time for the French judiciary to handle. Mr Sarkozy could still be freed before his own appeal, after an application by his attorneys. But the unfounded and damaging assaults on the judicial framework before, during and after his case have created a negative standard.