Nicolas Sarkozy becomes first French leader to go to prison since WWII
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison sentence
- Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has begun a five-year prison sentence at La Sante prison in Paris.
- His incarceration follows a conviction for conspiring to illegally raise campaign funds from Libya for his 2007 presidential campaign.
- Sarkozy is the first former French leader to be jailed since Marshal Philippe Petain after the Second World War.
- Despite appealing the conviction, he was required to begin his sentence immediately due to a 'provisional execution' order.
- Sarkozy maintains his innocence, claiming he is a victim of “revenge and hatred”, and will be held in isolation within the prison.