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As he arrived at La Santé prison this week, Nicolas Sarkozy shared a message filled with opposition via social media, stating, "It's not a former president of the republic entering prison today, but rather an wrongfully accused individual." A court of appeal will in time decide regarding the veracity of his claim. But unfortunately for the ex-president, the drama and importance of his downfall cannot simply be wished away.

The Guilty Verdict

France's leader between 2007 and 2012, the former president was judged culpable of unlawful plotting to acquire illicit campaign funds from the administration of the deceased Libyan leader, Colonel Gaddafi. Given a five-year prison term, he has emerged as the first former leader of an European Union nation to go behind bars, and the earliest French head of state since the disgraced head of Vichy France, the Vichy leader. Within a nation where the democratically selected head of state enjoys a almost king-like position, Tuesday's unprecedented scene was a seminal moment.

Citizen Confidence and Judicial Responsibility

In an era when trust in government bodies in France has plummeted to the point where warning signs are evident, it was also a instructive example that no one is above the law. As per a study published recently, two-thirds of respondents indicated that they thought a most of elected officials were unethical, and almost 90% claimed that the majority acted mainly out of self-interest. In sentencing the former president and mandating that his prison term should commence promptly, the judge, the judge, noted that she considered both the extremely serious character of the offences and the fact that they were "likely to undermine public confidence."

Courtroom Struggles

These considerations might be considered unexceptional, particularly since that the ex-president has previously been sentenced in distinct bribery proceedings. But the former president's case and its fallout have disturbingly laid bare the scope to which across the country, as in various states, the rule of law is endangered by a increasingly common disdain for courts and the try to influence of the popular view.

Following a populist playbook, an thorough and detailed judicial procedure has been falsely depicted by his backers as a judicial plot and leftwing vendetta. Following the ruling recently, the ex-leader openly condemned his judgment as invalid and decried the "hostility" with "no limits" that allegedly motivated it. Since prominent officials and backers from the conservative and extremist have saturated public discourse and traditional outlets with the identical arguments, Ms Gavarino has obtained multiple threats.

Citizen Reaction

Encouragingly, the population seems unconvinced. A post-verdict poll found significant majorities endorsing both the handling of the legal case and his sentencing. However the drama, and the obvious try to damage the credibility of the legal system, was most probably only a preliminary test. In January, Marine Le Pen's appeal against a guilty verdict for embezzlement of political funds will be heard. If unsuccessful, the far-right National Rally leader will be disqualified from competing in the future campaign.

Coming Consequences

In a polarised and mistrustful nation, that will be a perilous moment for the country's courts to navigate. Mr Sarkozy may yet be released before his own appeal, after an application by his attorneys. However the unfounded and damaging assaults on the judicial framework before, during and after his case have set a damaging precedent.