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Nicolas Sarkozy plans a memoir next month called Diary of a Prisoner, which recounts the period spent behind bars.

The revelation came shortly following Sarkozy left prison as he contests his conviction on charges of illegal collaboration connected to efforts to secure election campaign funds provided by the government of Muammar Gaddafi.

Time in Custody: Solitary Musings

“In prison there is nothing to see, with little to occupy time,” he reflects in a preview, indicating the book centers around his thoughts while in isolation instead of extensive analysis regarding the packed and troubled jail system in France.

“I forget silence, not present in that facility, where there is endless commotion,” he states. “The noise unfortunately never stops. But, just like the desert, personal reflection is fortified behind bars.”

Release Hearing: Describing the Ordeal

At his release request hearing, the former leader was present remotely from his cell, depicting prison life as exhausting. He stated to the judge: “I wish to commend those working in the jail, showing great humanity, and who helped make this ordeal bearable – as it truly is one.”

“I never imagined that at 70 years of age, I’d be in prison. It’s a hardship that has been imposed on me. It’s challenging, I acknowledge, extremely tough. It leaves a mark every inmate because it’s gruelling.”

First of Its Kind

The former president, who served as France’s president for a five-year term, set a precedent as ex-leader from the EU and the first postwar leader from France to be incarcerated.

Before entering jail he had said he planned to utilize the opportunity to write a book.

Cell Library

Unconfirmed is whether he had time to read and critique the volumes he had in his cell: a life story of Jesus spanning two books and Alexandre Dumas’s novel The Count of Monte Cristo, a plot where an innocent man is sentenced to jail but escapes to seek vengeance.

Prison Conditions

Sarkozy was held in solitary confinement due to safety concerns in a cell roughly 100 square feet including private facilities in the Paris jail in Paris. Guards were stationed in a neighbouring cell.

It was stated that he had eaten solely dairy snacks while inside worried that any food might have been spat on. Although he had access to cook for himself but refused this, as per accounts. Unclear remains if he will detail his dietary choices.

Defense Viewpoint

Sarkozy’s lawyer, who visited his client daily throughout the jail term, told the release hearing he would be safer released than inside. “He has faced menacing messages, heard shouts after dark plus rapid actions next door when a prisoner self-harmed.”

Legal Proceedings

Sarkozy went to prison on 21 October after the judiciary gave him a five-year sentence on conspiracy charges related to a plan to obtain election financing during his election campaign.

He disputes the charges and has appealed against the verdict, with a new trial planned for next spring.