Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who had only recently begun serving a five-year prison sentence at Paris’s La Santé prison, has been released from custody. The Paris Court of Appeal granted his request for release and ruled that Sarkozy will remain under judicial supervision until the appeal process is concluded.

Instead of prison, he will now wear an electronic ankle monitor and must comply with strict conditions: he is forbidden to leave the country or contact key figures involved in the case, including Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin and members of his circle.

Sarkozy spent less than three weeks behind bars. Speaking via video link during the hearing, he admitted that the days in confinement had been «very difficult» and «exhausting».

Earlier reports stated that Sarkozy was held in a nine-square-meter single cell. He was allowed three visits per week and permitted to use a mobile phone – but only to call numbers pre-approved by investigators.

To recall, the court had found the politician guilty of conspiring with associates and accepting illegal campaign funds from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi during the 2007 presidential race. Sarkozy firmly denies the charges, calling the proceedings «an act of revenge».

He thus became the first French leader since World War II – and the first former president of a European Union member state – to serve time in prison. Given his age, he was eligible to request a reduction of his sentence, which the court ultimately granted.

Photo: @nicolassarkozy

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has begun serving his five-year prison sentence at La Santé Prison in Paris. Sharing this moment with him was his wife, model Carla Bruni, who stood by his side as he left their home.

Dressed entirely in black and holding her husband’s hand, she accompanied her beloved to prison, while a gathered crowd of supporters chanted Sarkozy’s name and sang La Marseillaise, The Independent reports.

 

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Публикация от LEGEND (@legendmedia)

On social media platform X, the ex-president addressed the citizens, declaring that he was the victim of political persecution.

«I want to tell the French people with all my strength that it is not a former president who is going to prison today, but an innocent man», he wrote.

Sarkozy was found guilty of conspiring with associates to obtain illegal campaign funding from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi during his 2007 presidential campaign. The politician firmly denies the charges, calling the case «an act of revenge».

 

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Публикация от Le Figaro (@lefigaro)

Despite his appeal, the former president will remain in custody for at least several months – until the hearing scheduled for March 2026. Thus, he has become the first president of France to actually end up behind bars.

Before his arrest, Sarkozy revealed that he had brought three books with him, including The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, noting that he does not fear prison and plans to use the time to write a new book.

Photo: Instagram @carlabruniofficial

Supermodel and singer Carla Bruni shared rare photos of her husband, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, on social media. On the politician’s 70th birthday, she showed her followers images from their family archive.

«Happy birthday, my love. Time is on your side,» the celebrity wrote.

Bruni met Sarkozy in 2007 at a diplomatic reception, and on January 8, 2008, the politician, who was then still the President of France, confirmed at a press conference that he was in a relationship with the supermodel and planned to marry her.

The couple married on February 2, 2008, at the Élysée Palace, making it Sarkozy’s third marriage. On October 19, 2011, they welcomed their daughter, Giulia.

The star has called her marriage to the politician her greatest achievement. In an interview with Madame Figaro, the supermodel admitted that she underwent psychotherapy before getting married because she had a fear of commitment. However, Bruni confessed that she only truly breathed a sigh of relief after her husband’s presidential term ended.

The celebrity also revealed that her husband is a very impulsive person, just like herself, but over time, she learned to give in to her beloved and «keep her mouth shut.»

According to Bruni, they always try to find compromises and reach agreements, which she believes is the secret to their strong relationship.

Photo: Instagram @carlabruniofficial

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been definitively found guilty in a corruption and influence-peddling case and sentenced to three years in prison. According to the decision of the Court of Cassation in Paris, Sarkozy will serve two years on probation and one year under house arrest with an electronic bracelet. Additionally, Sarkozy is barred from running for election for three years.

As reported by the French media company RFI, such a verdict is unprecedented for a former head of state. The 69-year-old politician will now be summoned by a judge to implement the electronic bracelet ruling.

However, Sarkozy’s lawyer, Patrice Spinosi, stated that the former president intends to appeal his case to the European Court of Human Rights, maintaining his innocence.

Moreover, Sarkozy may avoid serving his sentence entirely, as he will turn 70 on January 28, which allows him to request early conditional release due to age.

The trial against Nicolas Sarkozy began in late November 2020. The politician was accused of attempting to bribe judge Gilbert Azibert to obtain confidential information about an investigation into donations from L’Oréal co-owner and billionaire Liliane Bettencourt, which were allegedly used to finance his 2007 presidential campaign.

Photo: @nicolassarkozy