Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has begun a five-year prison sentence after being convicted of conspiring to raise illegal campaign funds from Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi, marking a historic moment in French politics.

• Sarkozy is the first French leader to be jailed since World War II.
• He was found guilty of soliciting millions in illegal donations for his 2007 presidential campaign.
• His legal team has filed an appeal and requested early release, with a decision expected within two months.