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As he made his way at the Parisian detention facility on Tuesday, Nicolas Sarkozy shared a declaration filled with opposition via social media, asserting, "It's not a former president of the nation entering prison this morning, but rather an wrongfully accused individual." An appellate court will in time rule on the accuracy of his claim. Yet sadly for the ex-president, the turmoil and significance of his decline cannot be ignored.

The Conviction

The French head of state between 2007 and 2012, Mr Sarkozy was convicted of illegal collaboration to secure illegal financing from the administration of the deceased Libyan leader, Colonel Gaddafi. Sentenced to a half-decade incarceration, he has been recorded as the initial ex-head of an EU member state to go behind bars, and the first French leader since the disgraced head of wartime France, Philippe Pétain. Across France where the elected president holds a almost king-like position, Tuesday's extraordinary spectacle was a historic occasion.

National Faith and Judicial Responsibility

At a time when trust in government bodies in France has declined drastically to the point where the lights are flashing red, it was also a sobering reminder that the law applies to all. In a poll published recently, two-thirds of respondents stated that they felt a most of elected officials were unethical, and the vast majority reported that the majority acted mainly out of self-interest. In sentencing Mr Sarkozy and directing that his prison term should start immediately, the judge, the judge, noted that she considered both the profoundly severe aspect of the violations and the fact that they were "could damage public confidence."

Judicial Threats

Such reflections might be considered unexceptional, especially given that Mr Sarkozy has before been sentenced in separate corruption cases. However the former president's case and its aftermath have troublingly exposed the degree to which across the country, as in various states, the rule of law is threatened by a newly fashionable disrespect toward legal institutions and the attempted manipulation of societal perspectives.

Following a populist playbook, an exhaustive and meticulous legal process has been falsely depicted by Mr Sarkozy's supporters as a courtroom scheme and ideological revenge. After the verdict last month, the ex-leader publicly criticized his punishment as invalid and censured the "animosity" with "no restraints" that supposedly drove it. While high-ranking leaders and supporters from the conservative and extremist have saturated public discourse and traditional outlets with the same talking points, Ms Gavarino has been subjected to various menaces.

Public Response

Encouragingly, the citizens does not appear to be buying it. A survey after the ruling found clear majorities supporting both the conduct of the legal case and his punishment. But the turmoil, and the obvious try to damage the credibility of the court system, was very likely merely a dress rehearsal. In January, Marine Le Pen's legal challenge against a conviction for misuse of campaign money will occur. If the appeal fails, the political candidate will be disqualified from running 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 might eventually exit ahead of his next legal challenge, after an application by his legal team. However the irresponsible and baseless attacks on the judicial framework at all stages of his trial have created a negative standard.