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Prosecuting the powerful: prosecuting political leaders for crimes is healthy for democracies

Gunitsky, Seva / Semuhi Sinanoglu / Sahib Jafarov
External Publications (2025)

published on foreignpolicy.com, 28.10.2025

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Last week, France’s Nicholas Sarkozy became the first former president of a European Union state to serve time in prison. He will be held in solitary confinement, with limited phone access and scheduled visitation times. And while his case is unusual for the EU, it is far from unique. In democratic states, these types of prosecutions have become increasingly common in recent years. Countries like France, Brazil, and the United States have all seen intense legal and political battles over the prosecutions of their elected leaders.

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