First day behind bars “terrible, but he survived,” says Sarkozy’s lawyer

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who served from 2007 to 2012, spent his first day in prison writing a book, his lawyer Jean-Michel Darrois revealed.

“He exercised and started writing his book,” Darrois told BFMTV. He added that Sarkozy was placed in a 9-square-metre cell, which he described as having “constant noise.”

In the afternoon, Sarkozy was able to meet with his wife, Carla Bruni. “The first day in prison is terrible, but he got through it,” the lawyer said.

Sarkozy began serving a five-year prison sentence on October 21, 2025. He was convicted of criminal conspiracy for orchestrating a scheme to obtain campaign funds from the regime of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi for his 2007 presidential campaign.

Sarkozy is the first former French president to be incarcerated post-World War II. He entered La Santé prison in Paris, accompanied by his wife, Carla Bruni. In a statement, he denied any wrongdoing, labelling the verdict an “incredible injustice” and asserting his innocence.

The court acquitted Sarkozy of charges including embezzlement, passive corruption, and illicit campaign financing. However, he was found guilty of criminal conspiracy for authorising aides to secure Libyan funds for his campaign.

Sarkozy has appealed the verdict, and his legal team has requested early release, citing his age and health concerns. He is currently serving his sentence in solitary confinement within the prison.

By Vugar Khalilov