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Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni's relationship timeline explored as former French president shares last kiss with his wife before entering prison

As Nicolas Sarkozy is headed to prison, his third wife, Carla Bruni, stands beside him in full support of the ex-president.
posted by Akanksha Mishra
Tuesday 10/21/2025 at 9:04AM EDT
  • PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni attend BVLGARI EDEN THE GARDEN OF WONDERS on June 06, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images for Bulgari)
    PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni attend BVLGARI EDEN THE GARDEN OF WONDERS on June 06, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images for Bulgari)

    On Tuesday, October 21, Nicolas Sarkozy left his Paris residence to begin his five-year prison sentence. Sarkozy, who has become the first ex-president of France to be behind bars, was accompanied by her wife, Carla Bruni, as he was seen exiting his villa, where they shared a last kiss. 

    Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni have been married for seventeen years. The politician met Bruni, who was a singer, songwriter and fashion model, soon after he took office as the French President. 

    The couple met at a dinner party, and started dating each other soon after that. Sarkozy had been freshly divorced from his second wife, Cécilia Ciganer-Albeniz (who was also a model) at the time. On February 2, 2008, Sarkozy and Bruni tied the knot at the Elysee Palace in Paris. 

    Three years later, they welcomed their daughter, Guilia, on October 19, 2011. With that, Sarkozy became the first French president to welcome a child while in office. 

    The BBC reports that Nicolas Sarkozy has been convicted of conspiring to use money from Muammar Gaddafi, the late Libyan dictator in his electoral campaign. He will serve his jail term in the La Sante prison in Paris, where he will be assigned a cell in the isolation wing. 

    Nicolas Sarkozy has been married twice before Carla Bruni

    While Nicolas Sarkozy has been married to Carla Bruni for seventeen years, it is the former President's third marriage, with his first marriage taking place twenty-six years ago to Marie-Dominique Culioli. 
    After tying the knot in September 1982, Sarkozy and Culioli welcomed two sons - Pierre in 1985, and Jean in 1986. After fourteen years of marriage, the couple filed for a divorce in 1996. 

    Years after his first divorce, Nicolas met Cecilia Ciganer-Albeniz, a PR executive and former fashion model. Sarkozy was the officiant at Cecilia's wedding to Jacques Martin, a TV host. However, in 1988, she left Martin for Nicolas. Following their divorce in 1989, they started dating, ultimately tying the knot in 1996. A year later, they welcomed a son, Louis.

    Around 2005, there were rumors of both Sarkozy and Ciganer-Albeniz having affairs outside of their marriage. Two years later, the couple filed for a divorce. 

    Sarkozy continues to maintain his innocence as he goes to prison

    According to The Independent UK, a large crowd of Sarkozy's supporters gathered outside his Paris villa on Tuesday, where they sang La Marseillaise for him in unison. Addressing the crowd, the former President said:

    "I want to tell [French people], with the unshakable strength that is mine, that it is not a former president of the Republic who is being imprisoned this morning – it is an innocent man."

    Nicolas shared a lengthy statement (in French) on X before his departure to prison, where he claimed that he was a victim of "revenge and hatred". 

    His brother, Guillaume Sarkozy, also spoke to the media about it, telling them that he was "proud" of him and the fact that he was going to prison, being absolutely convinced of his innocence.

    TOPICS: Nicolas Sarkozy


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