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As he arrived at the Parisian detention facility on Tuesday, Nicolas Sarkozy published a declaration brimming with opposition via social media, stating, "This isn't a ex-leader of the nation who is being jailed today, it's an wrongfully accused individual." An appellate court will in time give its view the accuracy of that statement. However, regrettably for Mr Sarkozy, the spectacle and impact of his decline cannot be dismissed.

The Guilty Verdict

President of France during the 2007-2012 term, the former president was found guilty of illegal collaboration to secure illicit campaign funds from the government of the deceased Libyan leader, Colonel Gaddafi. Handed a half-decade incarceration, he has been recorded as the first former leader of an EU member state to enter prison, and the first French leader since the shamed head of the Vichy regime, Marshal Pétain. Across France where the chosen leader possesses a near-royal standing, the recent remarkable event was a defining instance.

National Faith and Legal Accountability

During a period when trust in government bodies in France has declined drastically to the point where alarms are sounding, it was also a salutary demonstration that no one is above the law. According to a survey issued recently, over 65% of those surveyed said that they believed a majority of elected officials were corrupt, and the vast majority said that the majority operated primarily out of self-interest. When convicting the former president and mandating that his prison term should begin without delay, the court official, the judge, noted that she factored in both the extremely serious character of the violations and the fact that they were "likely to undermine citizens' trust."

Courtroom Struggles

These considerations might be seen as ordinary, particularly since that Mr Sarkozy has in the past been found guilty in other graft trials. Yet the legal proceedings and its consequences have troublingly exposed the scope to which across the country, as in different nations, the legal system is jeopardized by a increasingly common disdain for courts and the effort to control of societal perspectives.

Using divisive tactics, an thorough and detailed legal process has been groundlessly presented by Mr Sarkozy's supporters as a courtroom scheme and leftwing vendetta. Following the ruling last month, the ex-leader effectively denounced his punishment as illegal and condemned the "hatred" with "no boundaries" that reportedly inspired it. Since high-ranking leaders and advocates from the right and far right have saturated public discourse and conservative press with the similar rhetoric, the judge has obtained numerous death threats.

Citizen Reaction

Reassuringly, the public does not appear to be buying it. Research following the judgment found comfortable majorities supporting both the handling of the courtroom process and his punishment. Yet the drama, and the naked attempt to undermine the reputation of the judicial system, was very likely just a trial run. In January, the National Rally figure's legal challenge against a guilty verdict for embezzlement of political funds will take place. If unsuccessful, the far-right National Rally leader will be ruled out from participating in the upcoming election.

Long-term Effects

Within a divided and skeptical country, that will be a dangerous time for the national legal system to manage. The former president might eventually exit prior to his appeal hearing, after an application by his legal team. However the unfounded and damaging assaults on the court system at all stages of his trial have set a damaging precedent.