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As he made his way at La Santé prison this week, the former French leader shared a declaration overflowing with defiance via social media, asserting, "This isn't a former president of the republic facing incarceration this morning, but rather an wrongfully accused individual." A court of appeal will in time give its view the veracity of his claim. Yet sadly for Mr Sarkozy, the spectacle and importance of his downfall cannot simply be wished away.

The Legal Judgment

President of France from 2007 to 2012, Mr Sarkozy was found guilty of illegal collaboration to acquire illicit campaign funds from the government of the former Libyan ruler, the Libyan strongman. Sentenced to a five-year prison term, he has been recorded as the first former leader of an European Union nation to be imprisoned, and the first French leader since the shamed head of Vichy France, Philippe Pétain. Across France where the elected president enjoys a near-royal standing, Tuesday's extraordinary spectacle was a seminal moment.

Public Trust and Legal Accountability

In an era when confidence in political systems in France has plummeted to the degree where alarms are sounding, it was also a instructive example that no one is above the law. According to a survey published on Tuesday, two-thirds of respondents indicated that they felt a most of politicians were dishonest, and almost 90% claimed that the majority behaved predominantly out of personal gain. When convicting the former president and mandating that his prison term should begin without delay, the judge, the judge, noted that she took into account both the extremely serious character of the crimes and the fact that they were "likely to undermine public confidence."

Legal Challenges

Those thoughts might be deemed typical, especially given that the ex-president has previously been found guilty in separate corruption cases. But the former president's case and its aftermath have troublingly exposed the extent to which across the country, as in various states, the legal system is endangered by a newly fashionable disrespect toward legal institutions and the attempted manipulation of the popular view.

In Trumpian fashion, an exhaustive and meticulous judicial procedure has been baselessly portrayed by Mr Sarkozy's supporters as a courtroom scheme and political retaliation. Following the ruling last month, the ex-leader publicly criticized his judgment as invalid and decried the "hostility" with "no limits" that reportedly inspired it. As prominent officials and backers from the right and far right have dominated media discussions and right-leaning media with the similar rhetoric, the judge has been subjected to various menaces.

Public Response

Reassuringly, the citizens does not appear to be buying it. A survey after the ruling found clear majorities endorsing both the handling of the legal case and his punishment. Yet the turmoil, and the obvious try to damage the credibility of the court system, was most probably only a preliminary test. In January, Marine Le Pen's court petition against a judgment for misuse of campaign money will be heard. If the appeal fails, the political candidate will be ruled out from competing in the 2027 presidential race.

Long-term Effects

Across a fragmented and doubtful society, that will be a perilous moment for the French judiciary to handle. Mr Sarkozy could still be freed before his own appeal, following a request by his lawyers. However the irresponsible and baseless attacks on the court system before, during and after his trial have created a negative standard.