Rachida Dati, 60, a prominent figure in French politics and former culture minister, began trial proceedings in Paris on allegations of illegal lobbying and corruption. The charges center on €900,000 in legal fees she received from a Netherlands-based subsidiary of the Renault-Nissan carmaking group during her tenure as a member of the European parliament. Dati’s defense team contends she performed legitimate legal work for the subsidiary, while French prosecutors maintain the payments were designed to compensate her for prohibited lobbying activities on behalf of the automotive manufacturer.
The investigation into Dati’s dealings with Renault-Nissan originated in 2019, with prosecutors alleging the illegal payments occurred between October 2009 and February 2013. A central element of the prosecution’s case involves a legal services contract from 2009 between Dati and Carlos Ghosn, the former Renault-Nissan chief executive, which stipulated annual payments of €300,000. Prosecutors argue this agreement served to conceal lobbying activities. Ghosn, currently on trial in absentia, faces separate allegations of financial misconduct related to deliberate misrepresentation of his compensation. He left Japan and resides in Lebanon.
Dati holds significant prominence in French political circles as a member of the political right and serves as district mayor of the 7th arrondissement in Paris. She previously served as justice minister under President Nicolas Sarkozy and held the culture ministry position under Emmanuel Macron. She received attention earlier this year after running for mayor of Paris, ultimately losing to Socialist candidate Emmanuel Grégoire. If convicted, Dati could face up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine reaching €450,000, and a potential five-year prohibition on holding elected office. She has also faced separate inquiries regarding undeclared payments from energy company GDF Suez and jewelry and watches valued at €420,000 that prosecutors say she failed to declare upon assuming ministerial office. Dati has denied all allegations across all investigations.
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