Rachida Dati faces corruption trial over Renault payments

Rachida Dati, the former French Minister of Justice, is undergoing questioning in a Paris court regarding allegations of corruption and illegal lobbying. The prosecution, led by the Parquet National Financier (PNF), is investigating whether payments totaling 900,000 euros from a Renault subsidiary between 2009 and 2012 were for legitimate legal services or constituted prohibited lobbying while she served in the European Parliament.

The PNF has raised concerns regarding the timing of Dati’s consulting activities, noting she established a firm in June 2009 shortly after leaving the government and just before her mandate as an MEP began. Prosecutors suggest she may have rushed to launch her practice to offer services to Renault-Nissan, citing a letter sent to Carlos Ghosn as evidence of this intent.

Dati has defended her actions, asserting that the fees reflected her professional expertise, technical skills, and experience in the Ministry of Economy and the European banking sector. She maintains that the contracts were legitimate legal missions and that she has complied with the law.