At a time when faith in political institutions in France has collapsed to the point where the lights are flashing red, it was also a salutary demonstration that no one is above the law. In a poll published on Tuesday in Le Monde newspaper, two-thirds of respondents said that they believed a majority of politicians were corrupt, and nearly nine out of 10 said that most acted mainly out of self-interest. In sentencing Mr Sarkozy and ordering that his prison term should begin without delay, the judge, Nathalie Gavarino, said that she took into account both the exceptionally grave nature of the offences and the fact that they were “likely to undermine citizens’ trust”.