🔗 Share this article

The ex-president of France is preparing a memoir in the coming weeks called A Prisoner’s Diary, which recounts his experience served behind bars.

This news was made shortly after the former president left prison as his appeal proceeds the court ruling on charges of unlawful coordination regarding a scheme to secure presidential race money linked to the regime of Muammar Gaddafi.

Time in Custody: Personal Reflections

“Behind bars one sees little, with little to occupy time,” he reflects in an extract, implying the book centers around his reflections while in seclusion instead of extensive analysis regarding the strained and struggling jail system in France.

“I forget silence, which is missing in that facility, where there is a lot to hear,” he adds. “The din unfortunately never stops. Yet, similar to barren lands, one’s inner world grows stronger in prison.”

Court Appearance: Sharing the Struggle

While appealing for release, he was present by video link from a room in prison, describing his time inside as exhausting. He had told the court: “I must acknowledge the correctional officers, showing great humanity, and who helped make this difficult experience manageable – since it’s deeply troubling.”

“It never crossed my mind that in my seventies, I’d find myself behind bars. It’s a hardship I must endure. I confess it’s hard, extremely tough. It has an impact all who experience it as it’s exhausting.”

Unprecedented Situation

Sarkozy, who served as France’s president from 2007 to 2012, was the first former head of an EU country and the initial post-WWII figure of France to serve time in prison.

Before entering jail he had said he intended to spend the period to compose an account.

Books in Prison

It remains unclear if he found the opportunity to go through the volumes he had in his cell: a life story of Jesus spanning two books together with Dumas’s work The Count of Monte Cristo, a plot where an innocent man ends up incarcerated later flees to seek vengeance.

Life in Confinement

Sarkozy was held in solitary confinement due to safety concerns in a cell roughly 100 square feet including private facilities in the Paris jail located in the capital. Security personnel stayed in an adjacent room.

Reports indicated that he consumed just yogurt during his stay due to concerns prison cuisine could have been tampered with. Although he had access for self-catering yet he declined, as per accounts. Not known is if the memoir includes what he ate in prison.

Defense Viewpoint

The legal representative, Christophe Ingrain each day while he was in prison, informed the court he would be safer outside jail compared to inside. “There were menacing messages, listened to yells after dark plus rapid actions in an adjacent room when a prisoner self-harmed.”

Charges and Sentence

His incarceration began last month when a French court sentenced him to five years in prison on conspiracy charges over a scheme to obtain campaign funds during his election campaign.

He disputes the charges and has appealed against the verdict, with a new trial planned for the coming spring.