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The ex-president of France will soon publish a memoir this autumn titled A Prisoner’s Diary, chronicling the period spent behind bars.

The revelation emerged just 11 days after the former president gained freedom as he appeals the guilty verdict for criminal conspiracy in a case to acquire political financing from the leadership of former Libyan leader.

Life Behind Bars: Solitary Musings

“Inside jail one sees little, and activities are scarce,” he reflects in one passage, suggesting the account centers around his reflections from solitary confinement instead of extensive analysis of the overcrowded and struggling jail system in France.

“I forget silence, which is missing in La Santé, where there is a lot to hear,” he adds. “The noise unfortunately never stops. Yet, similar to barren lands, personal reflection grows stronger while incarcerated.”

Freedom Plea: Sharing the Struggle

While appealing for release, the former leader had appeared via screen from inside the facility, depicting prison life as draining. He expressed in court: “I wish to commend to all the prison staff, displaying remarkable compassion, and who helped make this nightmare tolerable – because it is a nightmare.”

“I didn’t expect at this stage of life, I would end up incarcerated. It’s a hardship that has been imposed on me. I admit it’s difficult, extremely tough. It leaves a mark all who experience it because it’s gruelling.”

First of Its Kind

The former president, the ex-head of state between 2007 and 2012, became the inaugural former head in the European Union and the first postwar leader of France to be incarcerated.

Ahead of his incarceration he mentioned he intended to spend the period to write a book.

Books in Prison

It remains unclear did he manage to go through the volumes he took into prison: a two-volume biography of Jesus plus the novel by Dumas the classic tale, where a blameless person ends up incarcerated then breaks out to exact retribution.

Daily Reality

He was held in isolation to protect him in a room approximately nine square meters including private facilities at La Santé prison in Paris. Two bodyguards occupied a neighbouring cell.

Sources mentioned his diet consisted solely dairy snacks while inside worried that meals provided may have been contaminated. Options were available to prepare his own meals but he turned this down, according to reports. Unclear remains if he will detail what he ate in prison.

Legal Perspective

His attorney, Christophe Ingrain each day throughout the jail term, stated during proceedings his safety would improve outside jail compared to inside. “He has faced menacing messages, has heard screaming after dark and the urgent intervention in a neighbouring cell when a prisoner self-harmed.”

Charges and Sentence

His incarceration began on 21 October after a Paris court imposed five years in prison on conspiracy charges over a scheme to obtain election financing for his 2007 presidential race.

He maintains his innocence challenging the decision, and a fresh trial set for early next year.