Inside Sarkozy’s Prison Life: France’s Ex-President Behind Bars

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has officially begun serving his five-year prison sentence at Paris’s La Santé Prison, following a conviction linked to illegal campaign financing from his 2007 presidential bid.

The sentence marks a historic moment — Sarkozy is the first modern French president to actually serve time behind bars.

He is being held in a secure, isolated cell of about nine square meters, furnished simply with a bed, desk, and small bookshelf.

French authorities say his detention conditions reflect his personal and legal status, ensuring constant supervision and limited interaction with others.

According to French media, Sarkozy intends to spend most of his time reading two books he selected himself: Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo and The Life of Jesus Christ.

La Santé Prison’s special wing for high-profile inmates will now house one of France’s most controversial political figures, whose case continues to spark debate over accountability and privilege in French politics.