In his book, the former president describes how he prayed "for the strength to bear the cross of injustice."
Former French President spent 20 days behind bars in the Parisian prison of La Santé: from October 21 to November 10. He will await the proceedings in the appellate court out of custody under judicial supervision.
After three weeks in prison, Sarkozy is releasing a 216-page 'Diary of a Prisoner'. The book is published by Fayard, which is controlled by billionaire Vincent Bolloré. Bolloré also controls several French media outlets with right-wing and far-right political orientations.
The book will go on sale on December 10. On the same day, Sarkozy will begin a book signing tour across France, starting at a bookstore in one of the most luxurious districts of Paris.
Several French media outlets have published excerpts from Nicolas Sarkozy's new book. It recounts that the former president "was struck by the absence of any color: gray dominated everything, absorbed everything, covered all surfaces."
Sarkozy also describes the prison diet, consisting of "dairy products, muesli bars, mineral water, apple juice, and some sweets."
The former president was in prison under the protection of two security service employees and remained in his cell for 23 hours a day, except for visits. Among those who visited Sarkozy was the current Minister of Justice, his former party mate Gérald Darmanin. They are now prohibited from contacting each other under judicial supervision. He also regularly meets with his wife Carla Bruni in the visiting room.
In his book, Sarkozy describes how he prayed "for the strength to bear the cross of injustice" and conversed with the prison chaplain. He also thanks the prison staff.
But current politics does not escape his attention in the prison cell. Sarkozy mentions, among other things, his strained relations with President Emmanuel Macron and support from far-right politicians Marine Le Pen and Sébastien Chenu. He also lashes out at two deputies from the left-wing 'Unsubmissive France' who came to La Santé prison accompanied by journalists.
In an interview with Le Figaro, Sarkozy revealed that he wrote in prison with a ballpoint pen every day on a plywood table.
"I passed the pages to my lawyers, who then gave them to a secretary for typing. I wrote the book in one breath, and after my release, I finished it in a few days," said the former president.
Since the early 2000s, Nicolas Sarkozy has published about a dozen books, mainly of an autobiographical and political nature.
In France, Nicolas Sarkozy has been handed down final convictions in two other cases — the 'wiretapping case' and the 'Bigmalion case'. The former president is also a subject of other investigations, ranging from his lucrative consulting activities in Russia to the controversial awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
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