Sarkozy’s spectacular downfall marks turning point in France’s struggle against graft

Experts say political legacy of former president convicted of criminal conspiracy now appears impossible to rebuild

• Nicolas Sarkozy given five-year prison sentence after Libya trial

When a Paris court handed Nicolas Sarkozy a five-year prison sentence on Thursday - for criminal conspiracy over a scheme to get election campaign funds from the regime of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi - it was a historic moment for modern France.

The rightwing Sarkozy, who served as French president between 2007 and 2012, was known in office not just for his hard line on immigration and national identity but for championing harsher sentencing for delinquents. He is now expected to enter jail within a matter of months.