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As he was transported at the Parisian detention facility on Tuesday, Nicolas Sarkozy published a statement brimming with defiance via social media, asserting, "It's not a former president of the republic facing incarceration today, but rather an wrongfully accused individual." An appellate court is set to decide regarding the accuracy of that statement. Yet sadly for Mr Sarkozy, the drama and significance of his downfall cannot simply be wished away.

The Guilty Verdict

France's leader between 2007 and 2012, the former president was convicted of unlawful plotting to obtain prohibited donations from the regime of the former Libyan ruler, Colonel Gaddafi. Given a five-year prison term, he has emerged as the initial ex-head of an EU country to enter prison, and the initial French president since the shamed head of wartime France, the Vichy leader. Within a nation where the democratically selected head of state holds a quasi-monarchical status, Tuesday's remarkable event was a historic occasion.

Citizen Confidence and Legal Accountability

During a period when faith in political institutions in France has declined drastically to the degree where the lights are flashing red, it was also a salutary demonstration that everyone is subject to the law. According to a survey issued on Tuesday, two-thirds of respondents said that they believed a large number of politicians were corrupt, and nearly nine out of 10 said that many acted mainly out of self-interest. In sentencing Mr Sarkozy and directing that his sentence should commence promptly, the judge, the judicial authority, noted that she considered both the exceptionally grave nature of the crimes and the fact that they were "potentially erode public confidence."

Courtroom Struggles

These considerations might be considered unexceptional, especially given that Mr Sarkozy has previously been convicted in other graft trials. But the Sarkozy trial and its fallout have disturbingly laid bare the degree to which in France, as in other countries, the judicial framework is jeopardized by a newly fashionable disrespect toward legal institutions and the effort to control of public opinion.

Using divisive tactics, an comprehensive and precise judicial procedure has been groundlessly presented by Mr Sarkozy's supporters as a legal conspiracy and ideological revenge. After the verdict recently, the former president openly condemned his sentence as illegal and condemned the "animosity" with "no boundaries" that supposedly drove it. As high-ranking leaders and backers from the conservative and extremist have saturated public discourse and conservative press with the same talking points, the judge has been subjected to multiple threats.

Public Response

Reassuringly, the citizens largely rejects this narrative. A post-verdict poll found comfortable majorities endorsing both the conduct of the legal case and his punishment. Yet the drama, and the blatant effort to damage the credibility of the court system, was very likely only a preliminary test. During winter, the National Rally figure's legal challenge against a guilty verdict for diversion of electoral finances will be heard. Should she lose it, the political candidate will be ruled out from participating in the upcoming election.

Future Implications

In a polarised and mistrustful nation, that will be a dangerous time for the national legal system to handle. The former president may yet be released before his own appeal, following a request by his legal team. But the reckless and unfounded criticisms on the judicial framework throughout his proceedings have created a negative standard.