The First French President Behind Bars.. Macron Meets Sarkozy Before His Imprisonment

Before his scheduled prison entry on October 21, French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy at the Élysée Palace, in a farewell meeting that attracted the attention of the French political and media circles, according to TF1 channel.

French judiciary had convicted Sarkozy on September 25 for illegal financing of his 2007 election campaign, through funds believed to have come from the regime of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Under the ruling, Sarkozy will become the first French president – and the first president in the European Union – to actually serve a prison sentence behind bars.

The former president is set to be held in "La Santé" prison in Paris, inside a segregation unit designated for prominent figures, where his cell will measure only about nine square meters, in order to protect him and prevent any contact with other inmates.

In an interview with Le Figaro, Sarkozy stated that he would enter prison "with his head held high," bringing with him the book of The Count of Monte Cristo and the biography of Jesus Christ, in a symbolic reference to patience and innocence.

For its part, his defense team confirmed that they would file an immediate request for his release, noting that the appeals court could decide on the request within two months at most, and possibly sooner. Under the law, he can only be kept in custody if there are exceptional reasons related to preventing influence on witnesses or the risk of escape or reoffending.

If these justifications are not proven, it is likely that Sarkozy will be released under judicial supervision or placed under house arrest with an electronic bracelet.