A Paris court has sentenced former French President Nicolas Sarkozy to five years in prison for criminal conspiracy.

Nicolas Sarkozy, once a dynamic and controversial leader who promised to transform France, has been sentenced to five years in prison for criminal conspiracy tied to illegal campaign funding from Libya.

The dramatic decision to send former president Nicolas Sarkozy to prison for criminal conspiracy has laid bare France's stark political divisions, with the move cheered by the left but slammed by the ascendant right.

The grubby backroom deals and "bling bling" reputation that many French people have come to associate with Nicolas Sarkozy during his 2007-2012 presidency came back to haunt him on Thursday, as he became the first leader of modern-day France to face jail for a criminal conviction.

Nicolas Sarkozy, president of France from 2007 to 2012, was found guilty on Thursday of plotting to finance his 2007 election bid with help from the government of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi. Aurelien Breeden,

Here’s a look at the life of Nicolas Sarkozy, former president of France. Personal Birth date: January 28, 1955 Birth place: Paris, France Birth name: Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarkozy de Nagy-Bocsa Father: Pal Sarkozy de Nagy Bocsa Mother: Andrée (Mallah) Sarkozy de Nagy Bocsa Marriages: Carla Bruni (2008-present);