Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to release a book titled "Le journal d'un prisonnier" ("A Prisoner's Diary") on Friday, December 10, 2025, detailing his recent 20-day incarceration. The announcement on Friday, November 21, 2025, by his publisher Fayard, comes just 11 days after his release from Paris's La Santé prison, igniting a global conversation about legal accountability for former heads of state.

Sarkozy, who led France from 2007 to 2012, was taken into custody on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, to begin a five-year sentence for criminal conspiracy. This followed his conviction on Thursday, September 25, 2025, in a case concerning a scheme to obtain illicit campaign funds from the regime of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi for his successful 2007 presidential bid. The court found that Sarkozy had knowingly allowed his associates to seek financing from Libya in exchange for diplomatic favours. The lead judge, Nathalie Gavarino, described the facts of the case as being of “exceptional gravity” and “likely to undermine citizens' trust.”

The verdict makes Sarkozy the first former head of an EU country and the first post-war French leader to serve actual time in prison. He was, however, acquitted of several other charges, including passive corruption and illegal campaign financing. Sarkozy has consistently maintained his innocence, denouncing the ruling as an "injustice" and a "scandal," and has filed an appeal. The appeal is scheduled to be heard between March 16 and June 3, 2026.

Life in La Santé and a Forthcoming Memoir

Sarkozy was released from prison on Monday, November 10, 2025, after the Paris Court of Appeal granted his request for release under judicial supervision pending his appeal. The court determined he was not a flight risk. Conditions of his release include a ban on leaving French territory and contacting co-defendants or witnesses.

During his detention, Sarkozy was held in solitary confinement for his own security in a roughly nine-square-metre cell at La Santé prison. In a post on the social media platform X, he described the experience, stating, "In prison there is nothing to see, and nothing to do... The noise is alas constant. But, just like the desert, inner life is fortified in prison." At his release hearing, which he attended via video link, he described his time inside as a "gruelling" nightmare.

His forthcoming 216-page book promises a day-by-day account of his time in confinement. The memoir is published by Fayard, a house controlled by conservative billionaire Vincent Bolloré.

Global Context and Relevance for Kenya

The conviction of a former president in a major European democracy sets a significant international precedent for the rule of law and the principle that no one is above it. The case has drawn widespread international reaction, with many commentators noting it as a turning point in France's struggle with political corruption. The decision to incarcerate him pending appeal, a measure known as provisional enforcement, has been particularly debated in France, with critics like far-right leader Marine Le Pen arguing it endangers the presumption of innocence.

While there are no direct ties between this case and Kenya, the event holds analytical significance for the nation and the broader East African region. It serves as a powerful case study in accountability for the highest echelons of political power. For a region grappling with its own challenges regarding governance and corruption, the French judiciary's handling of the Sarkozy case offers a compelling example of an independent institution holding a former leader to account.

During his presidency, Sarkozy's administration aimed to increase France's engagement beyond its traditional Francophone sphere of influence in Africa, targeting Anglophone countries including Kenya. Trade between France and Kenya grew during this period, and development aid was extended. France also provided logistical support for Kenyan troops in Somalia. However, his tenure was also marked by controversy, notably a 2007 speech in Dakar, Senegal, that was widely criticized across the continent as patronizing. This complex history forms the backdrop against which the current legal and political drama unfolds, offering a moment of reflection on the standards of leadership and justice, both in Europe and Africa.

Sarkozy faces other legal challenges, including a definitive conviction for corruption and influence peddling in a separate 2014 wiretapping case, and another conviction related to illegal financing in his failed 2012 re-election bid.