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Nicolas Sarkozy is preparing a personal account next month titled Diary of a Prisoner, detailing his time served in jail.

The revelation emerged shortly after the ex-leader left prison while he contests his conviction on charges of unlawful coordination in a case to obtain political financing provided by the government of Muammar Gaddafi.

Life Behind Bars: Inner Thoughts

“In prison visibility is limited, and nothing to do,” he reflects in an extract, suggesting the memoir centers around his thoughts during isolation rather than wider commentary of the packed and struggling jail system in France.

“I forget silence, which doesn’t exist in that facility, where one hears endless commotion,” he adds. “The racket persists relentlessly. Yet, similar to barren lands, one’s inner world is fortified while incarcerated.”

Court Appearance: Recounting the Hardship

While appealing for release, the former leader participated remotely from inside the facility, characterizing his incarceration as gruelling. He had told the court: “I must acknowledge the correctional officers, showing great humanity, and who have made this ordeal manageable – as it truly is one.”

“I never imagined at this stage of life, I would end up incarcerated. It’s an ordeal that has been imposed on me. I admit it’s difficult, it’s very hard. It affects one on any prisoner as it’s exhausting.”

Unprecedented Situation

The former president, who led the nation from 2007 to 2012, set a precedent as former head from the EU and the first leader since WWII of France to serve time in prison.

Ahead of his incarceration he mentioned he would use his time to compose an account.

Reading Material

It is not certain if he found the opportunity to review and analyze the texts he had in his cell: a life story of Jesus spanning two books together with Dumas’s work the classic tale, a plot where a blameless person is imprisoned later flees to exact retribution.

Daily Reality

The former leader remained in isolation for his own security in a space approximately nine square meters including private facilities in the Paris jail in Paris. Security personnel occupied the next cell.

Reports indicated his diet consisted only yoghurts in prison worried that any food might have been spat on. Although he had access to cook for himself yet he declined, according to reports. Unclear remains if the memoir includes what he ate in prison.

Defense Viewpoint

His attorney, who saw him regularly every day throughout the jail term, told the release hearing he would be safer out of prison compared to inside. “There were death threats, listened to yells after dark plus rapid actions next door when a prisoner self-harmed.”

Charges and Sentence

He entered custody on 21 October after the judiciary gave him a five-year sentence for illegal collaboration in connection with efforts to acquire campaign funds for his presidential bid.

He disputes the charges and has appealed against the verdict, with a new trial is scheduled for early next year.