Full Breakdown
Trial of Former French Minister Rachida Dati and Ex-Renault-Nissan Chief Carlos Ghosn Begins in Paris
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Core Event: Corruption and Influence-Peddling Trial Opens
On September 16, 2026, a Paris criminal court opened a trial that will run until September 28, 2026. Prosecutors accuse former culture minister Rachida Dati of receiving €900,000 in “legal-services” fees from Renault-Nissan’s Dutch subsidiary while she was an MEP and using the contract to lobby for the carmaker—an activity prohibited for MEPs. Former alliance chairman Carlos Ghosn (tried in absentia) is alleged to have recruited Dati for the same purpose.
Political Background of Rachida Dati
Dati, 60, served as justice minister (2007-2009) and culture minister (2024-2025). She has been mayor of Paris’s 7th arrondissement since 2008 and was the first woman of North-African and Muslim heritage to hold a senior cabinet post. After losing the 2024 Paris mayoral race, she returned to the dock amid renewed scrutiny.
Carlos Ghosn’s Legal History
Ghosn, 72, led the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance until his 2018 arrest in Japan on separate financial-misconduct allegations. He escaped in 2019, has lived in Lebanon since, and is being tried in absentia for his role in the present case. He wrote to the French court in August 2026 requesting a postponement while offering to appear via video link.
Charges and Financial Details
- Alleged payments: €900,000 from the Dutch subsidiary between 2009 and 2013, under a contract signed October 28, 2009 with an annual fee of €300,000.
- Nature of work: Prosecutors say the fees covered lobbying in the European Parliament; Dati’s defence claims they were for legitimate legal services.
- Potential penalties: Dati faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a €450,000 fine, and a five-year ban on public office. Ghosn faces abuse-of-power and bribery charges.
Official Statements & Responses
- Prosecutors: The National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) calls the fee agreement a “cover for lobbying activities” and says there is no evidence of legal work.
- Ghosn: In his August 2026 letter, he denied attempts to delay the trial and said he was ready to explain the facts via video link from Beirut.
- Anti-corruption NGOs: Transparency International France noted the case’s implications for lobbying standards.
Criticism & Opposition
Patrick Lefas of Transparency International France warned that “the affair illustrates the risks of public decision-making being captured by private interests,” emphasizing the need for stricter lobbying limits.
Conflicting Claims & Gaps
- Nature of the work: Prosecutors claim no legal work was performed; Dati’s lawyers say she provided advice on matters concerning Morocco, Algeria, Turkey and Iran.
- Evidence of lobbying: The prosecution points to three parliamentary questions on automotive issues and a February 2013 note to Ghosn; the defence describes the note as a routine legal check. No independent documentation of lobbying has been disclosed.
Verbatim Quote
- “The affair illustrates the risks of public decision-making being captured by private interests,” — Patrick Lefas, Transparency International France
What’s Next
The court will hear arguments and evidence through September 28, 2026. A verdict is expected after deliberations, which will determine whether Dati and Ghosn face the maximum penalties and could prompt reforms of lobbying regulations in France.