The Paris Appeals Court investigative office has recently denied a request from French Culture Minister Rachida Dati’s lawyers to halt prosecution procedures in connection to the Carlos Ghosn affair. Dati is currently under investigation for allegedly receiving payments amounting to $950k (€900K) between 2010 and 2012 from a subsidiary of the Renault-Nissan alliance, during Carlos Ghosn’s leadership. The charges against her include “passive corruption by a person holding an elective mandate” and “benefiting from an abuse of power” for supposedly accepting money in exchange for lobbying services at the European Parliament. Despite being a lawyer herself and a former Member of the European Parliament from 2010 to 2019, Dati has vehemently denied these accusations.
In response to the recent decision, Dati’s legal team stated that they plan to appeal the ruling. The lawyers emphasized that they firmly believe in Dati’s innocence and are urging her to take the case to the court of cassation because they are convinced that the law is on their side. Meanwhile, Carlos Ghosn, who is currently residing in Lebanon after fleeing Japan in 2019 where he faced corruption charges, has refuted any direct involvement with Dati. He claims that the payments she received were in exchange for legitimate legal services.
Rachida Dati’s political journey has been a tumultuous one. She previously served as a spokesperson for President Nicolas Sarkozy and as Justice Minister under his presidency. Her latest appointment as French culture minister by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal caught many in the cultural sphere off guard. The sudden change in leadership was part of President Emmanuel Macron’s efforts to revitalize his presidency amidst declining popularity. However, Dati’s tenure as culture minister has been marred by controversy, particularly her proposal to merge various public broadcasting entities under one roof in a BBC-style setup.
As Dati’s time in office coincides with a snap election called by President Macron, her future as culture minister hangs in the balance. The far-right Rassemblement National party is currently projected to secure the most seats in the upcoming round of voting, signaling a potential shift in the country’s political landscape. This looming change could spell the end of Macron’s centrist government and consequently, Dati’s role as culture minister.
The legal challenges and political upheavals facing French Culture Minister Rachida Dati underscore the complexities of navigating the intersection between law, politics, and personal integrity. Whether she will emerge unscathed from the current investigations remains to be seen, but one thing is certain – Dati’s reputation and political future hang in the balance as the legal battle and electoral dynamics unfold.