Rachida Dati on Trial for Alleged Renault-Nissan Lobbying

Rachida Dati, a prominent French politician who has held ministerial positions under two presidents, is facing trial in Paris on charges of corruption and illicit influence peddling. Prosecutors allege that Dati accepted €900,000 from the automotive giant Renault-Nissan between 2009 and 2013 in exchange for political favors.

Dati, 61, served as justice minister under President Nicolas Sarkozy and later as culture minister under President Emmanuel Macron. The payments from Renault-Nissan reportedly began in 2009, shortly after she left Sarkozy's government and was elected to the European Parliament. While a contract signed at the time outlined the payments as being for legal services, magistrates contend that the agreement was a cover for lobbying activities.

Investigators believe that Carlos Ghosn, the former CEO of Renault-Nissan, enlisted Dati to lobby on the company's behalf within the European Parliament. They also allege she was meant to facilitate contacts with Sarkozy, who was the head of state until 2012. Ghosn, 72, is also a defendant in the trial but will not be present in court, having been a fugitive in Lebanon since 2019. He denies any wrongdoing.

Dati's legal team plans to contest the charges. If convicted, she could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a substantial fine, and a five-year ban from holding public office. Such a verdict could also impact her current position as the mayor of the wealthy 7th district of Paris, a role she has held since 2008.

Dati re-entered national politics in 2024 as culture minister but resigned in February to pursue a bid for the mayorship of Paris. Her mayoral campaign was reportedly hampered by the impending trial, with opponents citing it as a reason to oppose her candidacy. She was ultimately unsuccessful, losing to Socialist candidate Emmanuel Grégoire.

Anti-corruption organizations involved in the trial as civil plaintiffs have highlighted the case as an illustration of the need for clearer regulations on political lobbying in France. Patrick Lefas of Transparency International France stated that the affair "illustrates the risks of public decision-making being captured by private interests."