25 h. ago The taste of freedom: Ex French president Nicolas Sarkozy is APPLAUDED by diners as he goes for lunch at Paris restaurant with Carla Bruni a day after his release from jail

After spending just 20 days in La Sante prison, Sarkozy was freed on Monday following an appeal court hearing. He arrived home in a car with blacked-out windows, escorted by police.

Politics

47 h. ago Nicolas Sarkozy says he wants to ‘prove his innocence’ as he is released from prison

Former French president, who said his three weeks in jail had been a ‘nightmare’, will serve rest of sentence outside pending appealNicolas Sarkozy has said he wants to “prove his innocence” after being released from prison while he appeals against his conviction for criminal conspiracy over a scheme to obtain election campaign funds from Libya.After 20 days in jail that he had earlier described as “gruelling” and a “nightmare”, the former French president was driven away from La Santé prison in Paris on Monday accompanied by his wife, the singer Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. Continue reading...

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48 h. ago What is next for Nicolas Sarkozy? Former French president freed from prison and put under ‘judicial supervision’

Nicolas Sarkozy, 70, was found guilty in September of criminal conspiracy but will be freed

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48 h. ago Au revoir, prison! Nicolas Sarkozy arrives home after being freed from prison following appeal hearing

He arrived in a car with blacked-out windows, which was escorted by police on motorcycles.

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49 h. ago Nicolas Sarkozy walks free: Former French president arrives home after being released from prison following appeal hearing

He arrived in a car with blacked-out windows, which was escorted by police on motorcycles.

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50 h. ago Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is released from prison

Sarkozy, who told court his three weeks in jail had been a ‘nightmare’, will serve rest of sentence at home pending appealEurope live – latest updatesThe former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been released from prison after a judge ruled he could serve the rest of his sentence at home.Sarkozy was driven by car from La Santé prison in Paris accompanied by his wife, the singer Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and arrived at his home in the west of the city without making a public comment. Earlier, he had told a Paris appeals court by video link that his three weeks in jail had been “gruelling” and a “nightmare”. Continue reading...

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50 h. ago Sarkozy freed from prison and put under ‘judicial supervision’ pending appeal – Europe live

Former French president, who is appealing against a conviction for criminal conspiracy, is released from prison in ParisAs we are waiting for the Paris court decision on Sarkozy to come, expected around 13.30 local time (12.30 GMT), let’s take a look at other news across Europe.If Sarkozy gets released with an ankle tag, it won’t be his first: Reuters notes that last year, France’s highest court upheld a separate conviction for corruption and influence peddling, ordering him to wear an electronic tag for a year, a first for a former French head of state. The tag has now been removed. Continue reading...

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51 h. ago Nicolas Sarkozy walks free: Former French president will leave prison later today following appeal court hearing

Sarkozy, 70, who will be placed on judicial supervision, will also be banned from leaving the French territory, the court said. An appeal trial is expected to take place later.

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51 h. ago Inside France’s grim La Santé prison where Sarkozy received death threats

Nicolas Sarkozy, 70, was found guilty in September of criminal conspiracy but will be freed

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51 h. ago Nicolas Sarkozy to be released from prison today after court ruling

Nicolas Sarkozy still faces an appeal trial over the so-called ‘Libya case’, expected next year

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51 h. ago Sarkozy to be released from prison pending appeal, French court rules – Europe live

Former president will be freed today and placed under ‘judicial supervision’As we are waiting for the Paris court decision on Sarkozy to come, expected around 13.30 local time (12.30 GMT), let’s take a look at other news across Europe.If Sarkozy gets released with an ankle tag, it won’t be his first: Reuters notes that last year, France’s highest court upheld a separate conviction for corruption and influence peddling, ordering him to wear an electronic tag for a year, a first for a former French head of state. The tag has now been removed. Continue reading...

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54 h. ago Nicolas Sarkozy says life in prison is ‘gruelling’ and ‘a nightmare’

Former French president was talking to court via video link about his request to serve rest of sentence at homeEurope live – latest updatesThe former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has said his time in prison has been “gruelling” and a “nightmare” as he appeared via video link at a court hearing over his request to serve his sentence at home.Sarkozy, dressed in a navy blue suit, appeared on camera from prison on Monday, seated at a table with his lawyers beside him. He told the court: “I want to pay tribute to all the prison staff, who are exceptionally humane, and who have made this nightmare bearable – because it is a nightmare.” Continue reading...

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55 h. ago Defiant Sarkozy says prison life is ‘very hard’ as he seeks release from jail – Europe live

Former president is seeking to be released pending his appeal against a five-year sentence for criminal conspiracyIf Sarkozy gets released with an ankle tag, it won’t be his first: Reuters notes that last year, France’s highest court upheld a separate conviction for corruption and influence peddling, ordering him to wear an electronic tag for a year, a first for a former French head of state. The tag has now been removed.In his closing arguments, reported by BFM TV, Sarkozy is reported to have lamented that his life in prison was “hard, very hard,” or “even say it’s gruelling,” as he once again insisted he was innocent. Continue reading...

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55 h. ago French court to decide if Nicolas Sarkozy can leave prison – Europe live

Former president is seeking to be released pending his appeal against a five-year sentence for criminal conspiracyThe public prosecutor’s office appears to be in favour of releasing Nicolas Sarkozy from jail and imposing judicial supervision through other means, backed with a ban on contacting anyone else involved in the Libyan case, the French media Le Figaro and BFM TV are reporting.During the hearing, Sarkozy was also asked about his professional activities and travels, which may suggest this issue could also part of the court’s order. Continue reading...

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1 week ago Poor Nicolas Sarkozy. His hardline views on crime and punishment have come back to bite him

The former French president zealously promoted a zero-tolerance penal system. Luckily for him, his prison visitors include powerful friendsTwenty years ago, a tragic event changed the direction of my life. Three teenagers from the banlieue of Clichy-sous-Bois, north of Paris, were returning from a football game one afternoon in late October 2005 when they were chased by police. Zyed Benna, Bouna Traoré and Muhittin Altun had done nothing wrong (an inquiry later confirmed this) but were so disoriented by fear of the police, they hid in an electricity substation. In an awful twist of fate, Zyed and Bouna died by electric shock on 27 October 2005, while Muhittin was severely burned – and scarred for life by the ordeal.Their deaths led to rioting across France – the worst in years. The episode also turned me into a fully committed activist against racism and inequality. Yet for some politicians the response was to criminalise the victims. The interior minister at the time for example, N...

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2 w. ago France has survived revolutions and wars: its crisis now is deep, but not terminal | David A Bell

From the raid on the Louvre to the spectacle of Sarkozy in jail, it is tempting to think France is on a downward spiral. But history tells the tale of its resilienceIn the classic dinner-party scene in the film Notting Hill, Tim McInnerney’s character promises a brownie to “the saddest act here”. In response, the guests (including the glamorous movie star played by Julia Roberts) try to outdo each other with tales of their painful suffering and pathetic failures.In our gloomy autumn of 2025, western democracies could play quite a convincing version of this game. There is the depressed United Kingdom, where Keir Starmer’s approval ratings have fallen to record lows and Reform leads in the polls. There is the deeply broken United States, where a supine opposition seems incapable of preventing Donald Trump from chopping away one guardrail after another of our constitutional order. There is Spain, where this summer a Socialist party scandal threatened to topple the fragile minority gove...

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2 w. ago Three inmates are arrested for threatening to kill jailed Nicolas Sarkozy after videos showed prisoners vowing revenge for Gaddafi's death

The men - who have not been named - are fellow prisoners of the 70-year-old in La Santé, the Paris jail where Sarkozy is set to carry out a five-year sentence.

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2 w. ago Inmates film themselves threatening Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris prison

Nicolas Sarkozy was taunted by fellow inmates who threatened to avenge the death of Muammar Gaddafi.

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2 w. ago Sarkozy receives threats in prison as inmates vow to ‘avenge Gaddafi’

Nicolas Sarkozy was taunted by fellow inmates who threatened to avenge the death of Muammar Gaddafi.

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2 w. ago Inside La Santé prison where Nicolas Sarkozy faces years in isolation

French ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy began his five-year prison sentence on Tuesday, locked up in a nine-square-metre cell at Paris' infamous La Santé prison

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