Nicolas Sarkozy is back where he used to be – dominating the news and dividing the nation. Thirteen years after he left office, he is about to become the first former French president to be sent to prison after getting a five-year term for criminal conspiracy. And the circumstances are full of the same sulphurous contention that used once to mark his every move.
Fresh from his sentencing in the 'Libyan money' trial on Thursday, he spoke with incandescent rage about the 'limitless hatred' of which he said he was still a victim.
From the moment he emerged as a champion of the right, Sarkozy was convinced he had been the target of a left-wing cabal within the French judiciary and media. With this sentence - he thinks – has come more incontrovertible proof. His supporters are asking, why did the court clear him of three of the four charges weighing against him: illegal party funding, embezzlement of Libyan funds, and corruption? Only convicted of 'criminal association', they argue that the punishment is excessive, especially for a 70-year-old man subjected to a draconian non-suspensive sentence.
Just when you thought the old passions for and against this man were beginning to fade, suddenly they are back with a vengeance. Many will feel some sympathy with Sarkozy – not necessarily that he is entirely guiltless. But they will see some truth in his claims of victimisation against the 'politico-mediatic-judicial' establishment.
Yet, others view Sarkozy not as a wronged leader but as an egotistical operator who has often strived to push the law’s boundaries. Convicted on multiple charges, including illegal campaign funding, the seriousness of trying to elicit funds from a foreign dictator is significant. This complex situation reflects the ongoing tumult in French politics.
While Sarkozy no longer holds power, his case exposes the chasms in contemporary France, prompting strong reactions from both the political right, which claims judicial overreach, and the left, which sees it as evidence of privilege among the powerful. Sarkozy's story, though rooted in the past, continues to resonate within today's deeply divided society.
Fresh from his sentencing in the 'Libyan money' trial on Thursday, he spoke with incandescent rage about the 'limitless hatred' of which he said he was still a victim.
From the moment he emerged as a champion of the right, Sarkozy was convinced he had been the target of a left-wing cabal within the French judiciary and media. With this sentence - he thinks – has come more incontrovertible proof. His supporters are asking, why did the court clear him of three of the four charges weighing against him: illegal party funding, embezzlement of Libyan funds, and corruption? Only convicted of 'criminal association', they argue that the punishment is excessive, especially for a 70-year-old man subjected to a draconian non-suspensive sentence.
Just when you thought the old passions for and against this man were beginning to fade, suddenly they are back with a vengeance. Many will feel some sympathy with Sarkozy – not necessarily that he is entirely guiltless. But they will see some truth in his claims of victimisation against the 'politico-mediatic-judicial' establishment.
Yet, others view Sarkozy not as a wronged leader but as an egotistical operator who has often strived to push the law’s boundaries. Convicted on multiple charges, including illegal campaign funding, the seriousness of trying to elicit funds from a foreign dictator is significant. This complex situation reflects the ongoing tumult in French politics.
While Sarkozy no longer holds power, his case exposes the chasms in contemporary France, prompting strong reactions from both the political right, which claims judicial overreach, and the left, which sees it as evidence of privilege among the powerful. Sarkozy's story, though rooted in the past, continues to resonate within today's deeply divided society.
