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While he made his way at La Santé prison on Tuesday, Nicolas Sarkozy published a statement brimming with resistance via social media, asserting, "This isn't a former president of the nation entering prison this morning, it's an innocent man." A court of appeal will in time decide regarding the accuracy of his claim. But unfortunately for Mr Sarkozy, the spectacle and importance of his fall cannot simply be wished away.

The Guilty Verdict

President of France during the 2007-2012 term, Mr Sarkozy was convicted of criminal conspiracy to obtain illicit campaign funds from the government of the late Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi. Sentenced to a half-decade incarceration, he has emerged as the first former leader of an EU country to go behind bars, and the earliest French head of state since the dishonored head of the Vichy regime, Marshal Pétain. In a country where the chosen leader holds a near-royal standing, this week's unprecedented scene was a seminal moment.

National Faith and Legal Consequences

In an era when trust in government bodies in France has collapsed to the degree where alarms are sounding, it was also a salutary demonstration that the law applies to all. According to a survey released on Tuesday, a majority of participants said that they believed a majority of elected officials were dishonest, and almost 90% reported that the majority acted mainly out of self-interest. In sentencing Mr Sarkozy and ordering that his sentence should start immediately, the court official, the judicial authority, noted that she factored in both the exceptionally grave nature of the offences and the fact that they were "potentially erode citizens' trust."

Legal Challenges

These considerations might be seen as ordinary, especially given that Mr Sarkozy has previously been found guilty in other graft trials. But the former president's case and its aftermath have alarmingly revealed the scope to which within the nation, as in other countries, the rule of law is threatened by a recently popular contempt for the judiciary and the try to influence of public opinion.

In Trumpian fashion, an comprehensive and precise judicial procedure has been baselessly portrayed by the former president's allies as a judicial plot and leftwing vendetta. After the verdict recently, the ex-leader effectively denounced his sentence as invalid and decried the "hatred" with "no boundaries" that allegedly motivated it. While prominent officials and advocates from the right and far right have filled the airwaves and conservative press with the same talking points, the judge has obtained various menaces.

Public Response

Reassuringly, the citizens does not appear to be buying it. Research following the judgment found clear majorities backing both the handling of Mr Sarkozy's trial and his sentencing. However the turmoil, and the naked attempt to damage the credibility of the legal system, was in all likelihood only a preliminary test. During winter, the far-right leader's legal challenge against a conviction for diversion of electoral finances will take place. If the appeal fails, the far-right National Rally leader will be disqualified from competing in the future campaign.

Future Implications

Across a fragmented and doubtful society, that will be a risky period for the French judiciary to manage. Mr Sarkozy may yet be released prior to his appeal hearing, subsequent to a petition by his lawyers. But the irresponsible and baseless attacks on the court system throughout his case have established a harmful example.