The central topic of news sites and newspapers (mainly) in France, as was expected, is the conviction of Nicolas Sarkozy. Among these is the newspaper Liberation which published with a photograph of the former president of the country, cleverly “placing” him behind prison bars.
Read: Sarkozy after his conviction: “I will sleep in prison with my head held high”
Liberation: Nicolas Sarkozy “behind bars”
Specifically, Liberation’s cover features a portrait of Nicolas Sarkozy. The magazine, to comment on developments in France, used the slang title “La taule” with such font that resembles prison bars, since “La taule” means prison and placed the title “over” Sarkozy’s face.
As stated in the newspaper’s caption on platform “X”: “Prison. This is Liberation’s front page this Friday. Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced on Thursday to five years in prison for “criminal conspiracy” in the financing of his presidential campaign by Libya in 2007. The former head of state has appealed, but will end up in prison anyway“.
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Nicolas Sarkozy: Guilty of participating in criminal organization in Gaddafi case
Nicolas Sarkozy was found guilty of participating in a criminal organization in the case involving Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi for the years 2005 and 2007. The former French president was acquitted of misuse of public funds and passive corruption, as the court could not prove that money from Libya was directed toward his campaign, which was ongoing at the time. According to the prosecution, in exchange, Sarkozy promised to help improve Gaddafi’s international image, who at that time was stigmatized in the West.
When Nicolas Sarkozy’s prison sentence was announced, there were cries of surprise from the audience following the trial. Nicolas Sarkozy stated that he would go to prison with his head held high. Other high-ranking officials were also in the dock, such as former Interior Ministers Claude Guéant and Brice Hortefeux, with the former found guilty of corruption and the latter of participating in criminal conspiracy.
Sarkozy’s wife, Carla Bruni, faces separate charges for concealing evidence related to the case and for complicity in fraud, which she categorically denies. Carla Bruni never left her husband’s side during his trial. However, her tension showed and she displayed her annoyance with the media, who were waiting for a statement from her, moments after the conviction, when exiting the courthouse she took the microphone cover from a journalist and threw it on the ground.
Carla Bruni retire la bonnette du micro de Mediapart avant de la jeter au sol à l’issue de la prise de parole de Nicolas Sarkozy, condamné à 5 ans de prison avec mandat de dépôt à effet différé. pic.twitter.com/xiv3XXMSTT
— CLPRESS / Agence de presse (@CLPRESSFR) September 25, 2025
