Former French minister Dati goes on trial in Renault-Nissan corruption case

France's former culture minister Rachida Dati is set to go on trial on Wednesday for corruption charges stemming from her dealings with the Renault-Nissan group. The 60-year-old, one of the most prominent figures on the French right, will face charges alongside fugitive Carlos Ghosn, the disgraced former Renault-Nissan chief. Dati, who is currently the mayor of Paris's wealthy 7th district, denies the allegations.

According to prosecutors, Dati accepted €900,000 in lawyer's fees from a Netherlands-based subsidiary of Renault-Nissan. The charges come months after her defeat in the Paris mayoral race. Dati has been embroiled in controversies throughout her political career, including a 2019 investigation over lobbying for Renault-Nissan while serving as an MEP.

If convicted, Dati could face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to €450,000, and a five-year ban on holding public office. Her legal team maintains that she worked exclusively as a lawyer for the Netherlands-based subsidiary, with the allegations of influence peddling being an artificial construct devised by the prosecution. However, French prosecutors argue that a legal services contract signed in 2009 between Dati and Ghosn was used to disguise lobbying work.