In a dramatic turn of events, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of conspiring to secure illegal funding from Libya for his 2007 presidential campaign.

The court ruled that Sarkozy knowingly accepted millions of euros from the regime of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, violating campaign finance laws and undermining democratic integrity. The charges, which have cast a long shadow over French politics for years, stem from a complex web of illicit financial dealings and political favors.

This marks a historic moment in France—Sarkozy is now the first former president in the country’s modern history to receive a custodial sentence for corruption-related offenses.

While Sarkozy denies all allegations and is expected to appeal, the verdict sends a strong message about accountability, even at the highest levels of power.