Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy leave their home Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 in Paris as Nicolas Sarkozy heads to prison to serve time for a criminal conspiracy to finance his 2007 election campaign with funds from Libya. AP Photo/Thibault Camus
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy entered a prison in Paris on Tuesday to begin serving a 5-year sentence for a criminal conspiracy to finance his 2007 election campaign with funds from Libya—making him the first former leader of modern France to go to prison.
Sarkozy will serve his sentence in solitary confinement at the notorious La Santé prison, after he was convicted last month.
Rachel Roberts is a London-based journalist with a background in local then national news. She focuses on health and education stories and has a particular interest in vaccines and issues impacting children.