Sarkozy to write prison memoirs about his 20 days in jail
Nicolas Sarkozy (Photo: Teresa Suarez/EPA)

Former President of France Nicolas Sarkozy will write a memoir about his time in prison, the book will be published in December. This was reported by the newspaper The Guardian.

Next month, Sarkozy will publish a book titled Diary of a Prisoner, in which he describes in detail the 20 days he spent in prison.

The book's release was announced 11 days after the former French president was released from prison while he was appealing a criminal conspiracy conviction for a scheme to receive campaign funds from the late Libyan dictator's regime Muammar Gaddafi.

"In prison, there is nothing to see and nothing to do," he writes in a passage that suggests the story will be more of a reflection from a single cell than a general observation of the overcrowded and crisis-ridden French prison system.

"I forget about the silence, which is absent in La Sante prison, where you can hear a lot. Unfortunately, the noise is constant. But, just like in the desert, the inner life in prison is strengthened," the former French president continued.

Sarkozy attended the hearing on his release request via video link from his prison room, describing his stay there as exhausting.

"I could never imagine that I would end up in prison at the age of 70. This is the test I had to go through. I admit it is hard, very hard. It leaves a mark on every prisoner because it is exhausting," he said.

Sarkozy, who served as president of France from 2007 to 2012, was the first former head of a European Union member state and the first postwar French leader to serve time in prison.

  • On September 25, the Paris court recognized Sarkozy was found guilty of criminal conspiracy for receiving illegal funding for the 2007 election campaign. According to prosecutors, in 2005, Sarkozy entered into an agreement with Gaddafi to receive money in exchange for supporting the Libyan government in the international arena.
  • Former President of France began serving a five-year prison sentence October 21.
  • November 10 Sarkozy was fired from prison. He was placed under court supervision.