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While he arrived at La Santé prison on Tuesday, Nicolas Sarkozy posted a declaration overflowing with resistance via social media, asserting, "It's not a former president of the nation who is being jailed today, but rather an innocent man." The appeals judiciary will in time rule on the accuracy of that statement. But unfortunately for the ex-president, the spectacle and impact of his downfall cannot be dismissed.

The Legal Judgment

The French head of state between 2007 and 2012, the former president was judged culpable of illegal collaboration to obtain illegal financing from the regime of the late Libyan dictator, Colonel Gaddafi. Handed a half-decade incarceration, he has been recorded as the pioneering past president of an EU country to go behind bars, and the earliest French head of state since the disgraced head of Vichy France, Philippe Pétain. In a country where the democratically selected head of state enjoys a quasi-monarchical status, this week's unprecedented scene was a historic occasion.

Public Trust and Legal Accountability

During a period when trust in government bodies in France has collapsed to the point where alarms are sounding, it was also a salutary demonstration that the law applies to all. According to a survey released on Tuesday, two-thirds of respondents stated that they believed a most of elected officials were dishonest, and almost 90% said that the majority operated primarily out of self-interest. In sentencing the former president and mandating that his prison term should commence promptly, the judge, the judicial authority, said that she took into account both the exceptionally grave nature of the offences and the fact that they were "likely to undermine public confidence."

Courtroom Struggles

Those thoughts might be seen as ordinary, particularly since that Mr Sarkozy has previously been convicted in distinct bribery proceedings. However the former president's case and its fallout have troublingly exposed the scope to which in France, as in other countries, the legal system is jeopardized by a recently popular contempt for the judiciary and the attempted manipulation of the popular view.

In Trumpian fashion, an thorough and detailed judicial procedure has been baselessly portrayed by the former president's allies as a courtroom scheme and ideological revenge. After the verdict last month, the ex-leader effectively denounced his judgment as unlawful and censured the "hatred" with "no limits" that reportedly inspired it. While prominent officials and advocates from the traditional and radical have dominated media discussions and conservative press with the similar rhetoric, the judicial figure has obtained various menaces.

Citizen Reaction

Encouragingly, the public seems unconvinced. Research following the judgment found clear majorities backing both the handling of the legal case and his conviction. However the drama, and the obvious try to damage the credibility of the judicial system, was most probably merely a dress rehearsal. In January, the far-right leader's court petition against a conviction for embezzlement of political funds will occur. If the appeal fails, the far-right National Rally leader will be excluded from competing in the upcoming election.

Coming Consequences

In a polarised and mistrustful nation, that will be a risky period for the national legal system to navigate. Mr Sarkozy could still be freed prior to his appeal hearing, following a request by his legal team. Yet the reckless and unfounded criticisms on the judicial framework throughout his case have established a harmful example.