Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, 70, who led France from 2007 to 2012, has officially begun serving a five-year prison sentence after being convicted for allegedly receiving illegal campaign funding from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Sarkozy was sentenced on September 25, 2025, by a Paris court that found him guilty of corruption and illegal campaign financing related to the funds he reportedly received from Gaddafi to support his 2007 presidential bid — in return for helping the Libyan regime improve its image in Europe.
On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at around 9:00 a.m., Sarkozy became the first European head of state to be jailed after leaving office. He arrived at La Santé Prison in Paris’ 14th arrondissement, accompanied by his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.
Life Inside La Santé Prison
According to French media outlets including AFP and Le Figaro, Sarkozy is being held in solitary confinement in a nine-square-meter cell designed for high-risk or high-profile detainees.
His small cell includes a single bed, a kitchenette, a toilet, a small shower, a table, and a small window that lets in limited daylight.
Unlike other well-known public figures who have served time in the same prison, Sarkozy has not been placed in the VIP section, with prison authorities citing security reasons for isolating him from the general prison population.
Sarkozy is not allowed to use a smartphone or any private communication devices but will be able to contact his family using monitored prison telephones. He is permitted to keep up to ten family photos in his cell.
His wife and children are allowed to visit three times a week, each visit lasting 30 minutes in a designated room, and his lawyers may visit as needed.
Once a day, Sarkozy will be allowed one hour of outdoor time in a small, enclosed courtyard of about 30 square meters, where he can walk or exercise. He can also read books from the prison library and engage in limited physical training — all under strict isolation protocols to prevent contact with other inmates.
Despite his circumstances, Sarkozy has reportedly refused any special privileges, stating that he wishes to be treated like any other inmate.
Immediately after his incarceration, his legal team filed an appeal, requesting his provisional release. The appeals court is expected to rule within the next two months.
Depending on the court’s decision, Sarkozy could spend only a few weeks behind bars or remain imprisoned until 2026, when his appeal case will be fully heard.