Nicolas Sarkozy walks with his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy after leaving his residence to present himself to prison in Paris on October 21. Julien de Rosa/AFP/Getty Images

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy entered a prison in Paris on Tuesday on the first day of a five-year sentence, marking the first time a former leader of modern France has spent time behind bars.

Sarkozy was driven to the prison complex on Tuesday morning, waving to his supporters as he left his house.

The car driving him was surrounded by dozens of police motorbikes and vehicles, making its way to La Santé Prison in southern Paris.

Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in jail for criminal conspiracy last month, for his role in a scheme to finance his 2007 presidential  campaign with funds  from Libya in e

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