Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will receive round-the-clock police protection while serving his prison sentence for illegal campaign funding, according to France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.
Sarkozy, who led France from 2007 to 2012, arrived at La Santé prison in Paris on Tuesday to begin serving a five-year sentence following his conviction for conspiring to secure campaign funds from Libya.
The decision marks an extraordinary moment in French political history, with a former president now behind bars under constant state protection.
Interior Minister Nuñez confirmed on Wednesday that two police officers from the special presidential security unit will be stationed in cells adjacent to Sarkozy’s to ensure his safety.
“The former president of the republic is entitled to protection because of his status. There is obviously a threat against him, and this protection is being maintained while he is in detention,” Nuñez told Europe 1 radio.
He said the two officers would remain in place “as long as necessary,” with their shifts rotated by other members of the presidential protection team.
French media reported that the arrangement means Sarkozy will effectively live under the same high-security conditions he enjoyed as president, but now within prison walls.
Sarkozy is being held in the isolation wing of La Santé prison, where inmates are housed in single cells and have limited contact with other prisoners. This setup is intended to prevent potential attacks or altercations.
The Daily National News learned that Sarkozy’s cell was modified to accommodate the unprecedented security measures. Surveillance cameras and restricted access protocols have been introduced in his corridor.
However, prison unions across France have expressed outrage at the decision to allow armed officers into the facility.
Nicolas Peyrin, spokesperson for the CGT prison guard union, criticized the move, insisting that prison staff are capable of maintaining security. “There is no added value,” he said on French television.
Wilfried Fonck, head of another major union, told RTL radio that the decision undermines the professionalism of correctional officers. “They’re basically telling us we don’t know how to do our jobs,” he said.
Fonck also highlighted the logistical problems of placing non-prison personnel inside a correctional facility. “Today we have two civilians inside a prison who shouldn’t be there and who don’t know how the system works,” he added. “I’ve never seen anything like it in 25 years on the job.”
Legal experts told The Daily National News that Sarkozy’s prison protection arrangement is “without precedent” in modern French history.
While other former presidents, such as Jacques Chirac and François Hollande, retained personal security teams after leaving office, none have required those services within a prison setting.
Sarkozy’s legal team has filed a request for early release, pending his appeal, arguing that the former president poses no risk of flight and should be allowed to await his appeal outside prison.
Lawyers said they expect a review of the request within a month and hope Sarkozy could be granted early release by Christmas.
Sarkozy has consistently denied any wrongdoing and claims his conviction is politically motivated. His defense team maintains that the charges stem from unproven allegations about campaign financing linked to Libya’s late leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The former president, who remains an influential figure within France’s conservative political circles, was seen entering La Santé prison in a motorcade on Tuesday afternoon, waving briefly to supporters gathered outside.
The Daily National News reported that the scene was tense, with both supporters and critics chanting as police maintained a heavy presence around the facility.
Sarkozy’s sentence includes a portion that may be served under electronic monitoring if the court approves his early release.
Meanwhile, French political analysts say Sarkozy’s imprisonment could reshape the country’s political right, which has struggled to regain influence since his presidency ended.
Public opinion remains divided, with some viewing Sarkozy’s imprisonment as proof that no one is above the law, while others see it as a political vendetta against a former leader.
Interior Minister Nuñez insisted that the extraordinary protection measures were necessary due to credible threats against Sarkozy’s safety, citing intelligence reports of potential risks from extremist groups.
Despite the controversy, the government has stood firm, emphasizing that the security presence is temporary and will be reevaluated periodically.
As Sarkozy awaits his appeal, his lawyers continue to argue that the case represents an abuse of justice. “President Sarkozy has served France with honor,” one of his attorneys said. “He should not be treated as a common criminal.”
The unprecedented situation has sparked national debate about the treatment of former heads of state, the role of presidential immunity, and the independence of the French judiciary.
