Overview
- The former president entered the Paris prison on October 21, becoming the first ex–French head of state jailed since Philippe Pétain after World War II.
- A Paris tribunal found an organized scheme funneled Libyan funds to his 2007 campaign, while noting it could not prove he personally received or spent the money.
- He is held in isolation in a roughly nine‑square‑meter cell for security with restricted contact and limited yard time, according to his lawyers.
- His defense has filed for provisional release during the appeal process, with a decision expected within up to two months and age‑70 rules potentially shortening custody.
- Political fallout has grown as Emmanuel Macron met him before incarceration and Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin’s planned visit drew rebukes from France’s top prosecutor over judicial independence.