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As he arrived at the Parisian detention facility on Tuesday, the former French leader published a declaration brimming with resistance via social media, writing, "It's not a ex-leader of the nation who is being jailed today, it's an innocent man." A court of appeal will in time decide regarding the veracity of his claim. Yet sadly for the ex-president, the turmoil and significance of his fall cannot simply be wished away.

The Guilty Verdict

President of France between 2007 and 2012, Mr Sarkozy was judged culpable of unlawful plotting to secure illicit campaign funds from the government of the deceased Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi. Sentenced to a half-decade incarceration, he has been recorded as the first former leader of an European Union nation to be imprisoned, and the first French leader since the disgraced head of the Vichy regime, the Vichy leader. Within a nation where the chosen leader enjoys a quasi-monarchical status, Tuesday's remarkable event was a defining instance.

Public Trust and Legal Accountability

At a time when confidence in political systems in France has declined drastically to the degree where the lights are flashing red, it was also a instructive example that everyone is subject to the law. In a poll issued this week, two-thirds of respondents stated that they felt a most of government figures were dishonest, and nearly nine out of 10 claimed that many operated primarily out of self-interest. While judging Mr Sarkozy and mandating that his incarceration should start immediately, the judge, the judge, noted that she took into account both the extremely serious character of the violations and the fact that they were "could damage citizens' trust."

Legal Challenges

Those thoughts might be seen as ordinary, especially given that Mr Sarkozy has before been convicted in other graft trials. Yet the former president's case and its fallout have disturbingly laid bare the scope to which in France, as in other countries, the legal system is jeopardized by a increasingly common contempt for the judiciary and the attempted manipulation of the popular view.

In Trumpian fashion, an comprehensive and precise judicial procedure has been groundlessly presented by the former president's allies as a courtroom scheme and ideological revenge. Subsequent to the decision in September, the ex-leader openly condemned his judgment as illegal and condemned the "hatred" with "no boundaries" that reportedly inspired it. While high-ranking leaders and backers from the traditional and radical have saturated public discourse and conservative press with the similar rhetoric, the judicial figure has obtained numerous death threats.

Citizen Reaction

Encouragingly, the public largely rejects this narrative. A survey after the ruling found clear majorities supporting both the conduct of the courtroom process and his sentencing. But the drama, and the obvious try to damage the credibility of the legal system, was very likely just a trial run. In January, the National Rally figure's court petition against a guilty verdict for misuse of campaign money will take place. Should she lose it, the far-right National Rally leader will be excluded from competing in the upcoming election.

Long-term Effects

In a polarised and mistrustful nation, that will be a risky period for the country's courts to navigate. The former president might eventually exit ahead of his next legal challenge, after an application by his attorneys. However the irresponsible and baseless attacks on the legal system before, during and after his trial have created a negative standard.