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While he made his way at La Santé prison on Tuesday, the former French leader posted a statement overflowing with resistance via social media, writing, "This isn't a ex-leader of the republic entering prison today, but rather an innocent man." An appellate court will in time give its view the accuracy of that statement. Yet sadly for Mr Sarkozy, the spectacle and significance of his decline cannot be ignored.

The Legal Judgment

France's leader between 2007 and 2012, the former president was convicted of illegal collaboration to obtain illicit campaign funds from the government of the deceased Libyan leader, Colonel Gaddafi. Handed a five-year prison term, he has been recorded as the initial ex-head of an European Union nation to enter prison, and the earliest French head of state since the shamed head of Vichy France, Marshal Pétain. In a country where the democratically selected head of state enjoys a quasi-monarchical status, this week's extraordinary spectacle was a defining instance.

National Faith and Judicial Responsibility

At a time when confidence in political systems in France has declined drastically to the degree where warning signs are evident, it was also a salutary demonstration that the law applies to all. In a poll published this week, two-thirds of respondents said that they thought a majority of elected officials were dishonest, and the vast majority reported that many acted mainly out of personal gain. In sentencing Mr Sarkozy and directing that his prison term should begin without delay, the judge, Nathalie Gavarino, declared that she considered both the exceptionally grave nature of the offences and the fact that they were "potentially erode citizens' trust."

Courtroom Struggles

These considerations might be seen as ordinary, particularly since that Mr Sarkozy has in the past been found guilty in separate corruption cases. Yet the Sarkozy trial and its aftermath have troublingly exposed the scope to which across the country, as in different nations, the judicial framework is endangered by a newly fashionable disrespect toward legal institutions and the attempted manipulation of the popular view.

Following a populist playbook, an thorough and detailed judicial procedure has been groundlessly presented by Mr Sarkozy's supporters as a courtroom scheme and leftwing vendetta. After the verdict last month, the ex-leader publicly criticized his sentence as illegal and decried the "hatred" with "no limits" that allegedly motivated it. Since prominent officials and advocates from the traditional and radical have saturated public discourse and conservative press with the same talking points, the judicial figure has been subjected to numerous death threats.

Public Response

Reassuringly, the public largely rejects this narrative. A post-verdict poll found significant majorities supporting both the handling of the legal case and his punishment. Yet the drama, and the blatant effort to weaken the standing of the judicial system, was in all likelihood only a preliminary test. During winter, the far-right leader's legal challenge against a guilty verdict for misuse of campaign money will take place. If unsuccessful, the far-right National Rally leader will be excluded from competing in the future campaign.

Future Implications

Across a fragmented and doubtful society, that will be a perilous moment for the national legal system to handle. The former president could still be freed prior to his appeal hearing, following a request by his legal team. However the irresponsible and baseless attacks on the court system throughout his case have created a negative standard.