Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, a figure who once strode confidently across the world stage, is about to release a book that few could have predicted: a raw account of his recent time behind bars. Titled Diary of a Prisoner, the memoir is set for publication in France on December 10, 2025, according to his publisher Fayard, itself part of a media group controlled by conservative billionaire Vincent Bolloré, as reported by the Associated Press and The Guardian.
The book, which Sarkozy reportedly finished just 11 days after leaving prison, offers a rare glimpse into the inner world of a former head of state forced to confront life in a nine-square-meter solitary cell. Sarkozy, now 70, governed France from 2007 to 2012 and is the first former French president—and the first postwar leader of France—to serve time in prison, a fact that has both shocked and fascinated the French public and international observers alike.
Sarkozy’s sentence stems from a September 25, 2025, conviction for criminal conspiracy related to the alleged funneling of millions of euros from Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi into his 2007 presidential campaign. As Le Point and AP confirm, he began his prison term at Paris’s La Santé on October 21, 2025, but was released after just three weeks, on November 10, pending an appeal. The appeal is scheduled to be heard between March 16 and June 3, 2026. Until then, Sarkozy remains under strict judicial supervision: he is banned from leaving France, may need to wear an electronic tag, provide bail, and check in regularly with authorities. He has returned home to his wife, Carla Bruni, but the shadow of his conviction looms large.
What makes Diary of a Prisoner so anticipated? For one, the former president promises a candid account of his 20 days in solitary confinement—a period he describes as both physically and psychologically grueling. In an excerpt released by Fayard and widely cited by The Guardian and UNN, Sarkozy writes, “In prison, there is nothing to see, and nothing to do. I forget silence, which doesn’t exist in La Santé [prison], where there is a lot to hear. The noise is alas constant. But, just like the desert, inner life is fortified in prison.”
He further reflects, “The noise, unfortunately, is constant. But, as in the desert, inner life is strengthened in prison.” This theme of enforced introspection runs throughout the previewed passages. Sarkozy’s cell—about nine square meters—contained its own shower and toilet, and he was kept apart from the general prison population for his safety. Two bodyguards occupied a neighboring cell, and, according to Le Point, Sarkozy ate almost nothing except yoghurts, fearing the food might be tampered with.
His lawyer, Christophe Ingrain, described the ordeal as harrowing. Ingrain told the court, “He has faced death threats, has heard screaming at night and the urgent intervention in a neighboring cell when a prisoner self-harmed.” Videos circulated during Sarkozy’s stay showed some inmates shouting abuse at him through their windows, blaming him for Gaddafi’s death in 2011. The Paris prosecutor’s office has since opened an investigation into death threats against Sarkozy, with three inmates now under scrutiny. Sarkozy himself intends to file a civil lawsuit in response.
At his release hearing, Sarkozy appeared by video link and did not mince words about his experience. “It’s a nightmare,” he said. “I never imagined that at 70 I would be in prison... It leaves a mark on the memory of any prisoner.” He also paid tribute to the prison staff: “I want to pay tribute to all the prison staff, who are exceptionally humane, and who have made this nightmare bearable – because it is a nightmare. I confess it’s hard, it’s very hard. It leaves a mark on any prisoner because it’s gruelling.”
The memoir, running 216 pages—roughly 11 pages for each day of captivity—may surprise readers with its focus. Rather than a sweeping indictment of France’s overcrowded, crisis-hit prison system, Sarkozy’s account is said to be more personal, centered on his own musings and the psychological toll of solitary confinement. As The Guardian notes, the former president reportedly brought three books with him: a two-volume biography of Jesus and Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo, the latter famously chronicling the ordeal and revenge of an innocent man wrongfully imprisoned. Whether Sarkozy found solace or inspiration in these works remains to be seen—his book may well offer answers.
Sarkozy’s conviction and brief imprisonment have stirred debate across France’s political spectrum. Supporters argue that the charges are politically motivated and that Sarkozy, who denies all wrongdoing, is the victim of a judicial overreach. His critics, meanwhile, see the conviction as a watershed moment for accountability in French politics, especially given the high-profile nature of the alleged Libyan campaign financing. Sarkozy’s appeal, scheduled for spring 2026, is expected to reignite these debates and keep the story in the headlines for months to come.
Of course, Sarkozy’s legal troubles are not over. He remains under judicial supervision, unable to leave the country, and could face additional requirements such as wearing an electronic tag or providing bail. The publication of Diary of a Prisoner is likely to add another layer to the public’s understanding of the former president’s fall from grace—and perhaps, in his own words, his quest for redemption or vindication.
As the French public awaits the book’s release, one question lingers: will Sarkozy’s account humanize a polarizing figure, or simply stoke the fires of controversy? In a country where the line between public service and personal ambition is often thin, and where the memory of political scandals runs deep, Diary of a Prisoner may prove to be more than just a personal reflection—it could become a touchstone for a nation grappling with the legacy of its leaders.
For now, Sarkozy’s story is one of solitude, reflection, and the unrelenting noise of prison life. But with his appeal on the horizon and the world watching, the final chapters of his saga are far from written.
