French ex-president Sarkozy begins jail sentence

Alleged Crimes and Libyan Financing

• Commenters recap the case as covert Libyan funding of the 2007 presidential campaign: secret meetings with Libyan officials, documents about money earmarked for the campaign, and money flows into France where the trail “goes cold,” likely due to cash.
• Courts reportedly could not prove beyond reasonable doubt that the money actually funded the campaign, but did find that close associates solicited it and that he knew of the scheme and did nothing to stop it.
• He is convicted under “association de malfaiteurs” (criminal conspiracy) – a broad law his own political camp pushed, where conspiring is punishable even if the underlying crime can’t be fully proven.
• Several participants argue the behavior amounts to “high treason,” especially given links to a Libyan official responsible for deadly bombings; others stress the judgment stayed on narrowly provable facts.

Prison Conditions and Purpose of Punishment

• He is held in La Santé prison’s VIP/solitary wing, with his own cell, a shower, cooking facilities, and nearby bodyguards. This is framed as security/protection and to avoid photos, not an extra punishment.
• Some note these conditions are still far better than overcrowded ordinary French prisons; others emphasize that time in prison, at age ~70, is inherently serious.
• Large subthread debates whether prison should punish, rehabilitate, deter, or simply isolate dangerous actors, with disagreements over whether harshness is justified and whether it actually reduces reoffending.

Rule of Law vs Political Lawfare

• Many see the conviction as a democratic success: a powerful ex‑president finally facing consequences after years of delays and multiple corruption cases, under laws his own party toughened.
• Others argue that “provisional execution” (being jailed despite pending appeal) is discretionary and can look politically motivated, though defenders say it is standard for multi‑year sentences and was introduced by his own camp for terrorists.
• There is broader worry that once heads of state are regularly prosecuted, they may try to dismantle institutions to avoid prison, with Israel cited as an example. A minority argues former leaders should almost never be prosecuted to protect legal legitimacy; most reject that and insist equal application of law is essential.

French Politics, Corruption, and Media

• Several note a long pattern of French political finance scandals across parties; some call this “one down, thousands to go.”
• Strong concern about media ownership: most major outlets are said to belong to a small circle of billionaires personally close to him, leading to sympathetic coverage, emotional framing, and attacks on judges rather than focus on facts.
• Others counter that many outlets and public broadcasters are more neutral or critical, and that judges are not uniformly “leftist” despite such accusations.

International Comparisons and Reactions

• Non‑French commenters express envy that a former leader can actually go to prison, contrasting with perceived impunity in the US, UK, Italy, Canada, etc.
• Some fear similar populist backlashes (Trump‑style, far‑right advances) if elites are widely seen as corrupt while only a few are punished.
• Thread ends with calls to “now do Trump” and broader reflection that a system where even ex‑presidents can be jailed is a sign of relative institutional health.