PARIS (AP) — Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy heads to prison Tuesday to serve time for a criminal conspiracy to finance his 2007 election campaign with funds from Libya.

The first ex-leader of modern France to be imprisoned, Sarkozy contests both the conviction and a judge’s unusual decision to incarcerate him pending appeal. His journey from the presidential Elysée Palace to the notorious La Santé prison in Paris has captivated France.

One of Sarkozy’s sons, Louis, called for a rally Tuesday morning in support of his father in the high-end Paris neighborhood where Sarkozy lives with his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. The supermodel-turned-singer has shared photos of Sarkozy’s children and songs in his honor on her social media feeds since his conviction.

Embattled centrist Presiden

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