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While he was transported at La Santé prison on Tuesday, Nicolas Sarkozy shared a declaration filled with resistance via social media, asserting, "It's not a former president of the republic facing incarceration this morning, but rather an innocent man." An appellate court is set to rule on the truthfulness of this assertion. But unfortunately for Mr Sarkozy, the turmoil and impact of his downfall cannot be dismissed.

The Guilty Verdict

France's leader during the 2007-2012 term, the former president was found guilty of unlawful plotting to secure illicit campaign funds from the regime of the deceased Libyan leader, Colonel Gaddafi. Sentenced to a five-year prison term, he has become the first former leader of an EU member state to enter prison, and the earliest French head of state since the dishonored head of Vichy France, Philippe Pétain. Across France where the democratically selected head of state holds a almost king-like position, this week's unprecedented scene was a defining instance.

Citizen Confidence and Legal Accountability

At a time when faith in political institutions in France has plummeted to the point where the lights are flashing red, it was also a sobering reminder that the law applies to all. As per a study released on Tuesday, a majority of participants stated that they believed a most of politicians were dishonest, and almost 90% reported that many acted mainly out of self-interest. In sentencing Mr Sarkozy and mandating that his incarceration should begin without delay, the presiding magistrate, Nathalie Gavarino, declared that she considered both the exceptionally grave nature of the violations and the fact that they were "could damage citizens' trust."

Judicial Threats

Those thoughts might be deemed typical, particularly since that the ex-president has previously been convicted in distinct bribery proceedings. However the Sarkozy trial and its aftermath have troublingly exposed the scope to which in France, as in different nations, the legal system is endangered by a recently popular contempt for the judiciary and the effort to control of public opinion.

In Trumpian fashion, an comprehensive and precise judicial procedure has been falsely depicted by the former president's allies as a legal conspiracy and political retaliation. Following the ruling recently, the former president openly condemned his judgment as unlawful and censured the "hostility" with "no restraints" that supposedly drove it. Since senior politicians and advocates from the right and far right have dominated media discussions and right-leaning media with the identical arguments, the judge has obtained multiple threats.

Societal Feedback

Hearteningly, the citizens seems unconvinced. A survey after the ruling found significant majorities backing both the proceedings of the legal case and his conviction. However the drama, and the blatant effort to undermine the reputation of the legal system, was very likely merely a dress rehearsal. During winter, the far-right leader's legal challenge against a guilty verdict for misuse of campaign money will occur. If unsuccessful, the far-right National Rally leader will be excluded from competing in the upcoming election.

Coming Consequences

Within a divided and skeptical country, that will be a risky period for the country's courts to navigate. Mr Sarkozy might eventually exit ahead of his next legal challenge, subsequent to a petition by his attorneys. Yet the reckless and unfounded criticisms on the judicial framework before, during and after his case have created a negative standard.