French culture minister Rachida Dati is set to stand trial over accusations of corruption and misuse of authority during her time as a member of the European Parliament, according to a legal source.
Dati, 59, who had been considering a bid to become Paris mayor in next year's municipal elections, was formally charged in 2019 on suspicions that she advocated for the Renault-Nissan automotive group while serving as an MEP. She has rejected the claims and has repeatedly attempted, without success, to have the case dismissed.
The allegations state that she received €900,000 in legal fees between 2010 and 2012 from a Renault-Nissan subsidiary based in the Netherlands without performing substantial work for the company. Dati held her position in the European Parliament from 2009 to 2019.
Investigators have examined whether she was improperly lobbying on behalf of the automaker—an action prohibited under parliamentary rules.
A former justice minister under conservative president Nicolas Sarkozy, Dati made an unexpected return to government last year when she was named culture minister under Emmanuel Macron’s second term.
She also holds the position of mayor for Paris’s 7th arrondissement, where she has frequently clashed with the city’s Socialist mayor, Anne Hidalgo.
Dati made history in 2007 as the first Muslim woman to hold a senior government role when she was appointed justice minister.
She has credited her upbringing in a low-income neighborhood on the outskirts of Chalon-sur-Saône, Burgundy, with giving her deeper insight into the concerns of French voters than most politicians. Sarkozy once stated that her appointment sent a message that "with merit and effort, anything is possible."
At the time of her return to government, Dati was already under indictment in the Renault-Nissan case, though she maintained her innocence.
Olivier Faure, leader of the Socialist party, criticized her appointment, arguing that the ongoing legal matter contradicted Macron’s pledge for an "exemplary" republic and sent a "poor signal."
French prosecutors have also called for Carlos Ghosn, the former chief of Renault-Nissan, to stand trial in the case, a legal source confirmed. Ghosn, who fled Japan after his arrest and now resides in Lebanon, has denied all accusations against him.
A hearing on 29 September will determine the trial date.
A source close to the case indicated that proceedings might begin after the Paris municipal elections in March.
Ghosn, previously the head of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, was detained in Japan in November 2018 on allegations of financial misconduct before being ousted by Nissan’s board.
He later escaped custody by hiding in an audio-equipment crate and fleeing to Beirut, where he remains as an international fugitive.
Both Japan and France continue to seek his arrest.
Read next
"UN rights officials call for leadership to label Israel's Gaza offensive as genocide"
Hundreds of UN Human Rights Staff Urge Leadership to Label Gaza Offensive as Genocide
A significant number of employees from the United Nations’ primary human rights body have endorsed an internal letter urging their leaders to recognize Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as genocide and to push member states
"Demonstrations break out in Indonesia after police car fatally strikes man"
Hundreds of Indonesians have gathered at locations across Jakarta to demonstrate following the death of a man struck by a law enforcement vehicle, marking the first major challenge for Prabowo Subianto’s administration, which took office nearly a year ago.
The victim, a motorcycle ride-hailing driver, was hit during clashes
"UN to halt Lebanon peacekeeping mission next year amid US, Israeli pressure"
The UN Security Council has extended the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon for another 16 months, though it will conclude by the end of 2026 following pressure from Israel and the US.
Council members unanimously approved the decision on Thursday to renew the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon