logo
France's Culture Minister Rachida Dati to stand trial for corruption and lobbying

France's Culture Minister Rachida Dati to stand trial for corruption and lobbying

First Post5 days ago
Dati, a high-profile minister who hopes to become mayor of Paris next year, was investigated in 2019 on suspicion of lobbying for the Renault-Nissan auto firm while working at the European Union agency read more
France's Culture Minister Rachida Dati is to go on trial accused of receiving payments from Renault-Nissan while she was a member of European Parliament. File image/AFP
Rachida Dati, France's Culture Minister, will face trial on charges of corruption and abuse of authority as a member of the European Parliament, a court source told AFP on Tuesday.
Dati, a high-profile minister who hopes to become mayor of Paris next year, was investigated in 2019 on suspicion of lobbying for the Renault-Nissan auto firm while working at the European Union agency.
Dati, aged 59, denies the allegations. She did not return an AFP request for comment.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
'We will appeal this decision today,' Dati's lawyers, Olivier Baratelli and Olivier Pardo, told AFP.
Dati, a daughter of working-class North African immigrants, was defiant.
'I will lead you to victory. Some people are trying to attack me over my private life, over many aspects that are collateral to my candidacy,' said Dati, who is mayor of the French capital's 7th district that is home to most French ministries, the country's parliament and many foreign embassies.
'I am not afraid of anything or anyone.'
Dati, who served as justice minister under right-wing leader Nicolas Sarkozy from 2007 to 2009, will continue in office, according to a Macron colleague.
'The president has taken note of the decision to refer Rachida Dati to the criminal court. As a referral is not a conviction, she will continue her work,' said the associate, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Dati is suspected of taking 900,000 euros in lawyer's fees from a Renault-Nissan company in the Netherlands between 2010 and 2012 while not working for them throughout her tenure as an MEP from 2009 to 2019.
'Until the end'
Investigations have sought to determine whether she carried out banned lobbying for the carmaker at the European Parliament.
In their order signed on Tuesday, a copy of which was seen by AFP, the investigating magistrates said that Dati's activities in parliament 'amounts to lobbying', which 'appears incompatible with both her mandate and the profession of lawyer.'
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Initially placed under the more favourable status of assisted witness – a step before being indicted – in 2019, Dati was charged in 2021.
She has since repeatedly sought to have the charges quashed.
French investigating magistrates also ordered that Carlos Ghosn, the former Renault-Nissan chairman and chief executive, be tried, the judicial source said.
The 71-year-old, who has been living in Lebanon for years after escaping arrest in Japan, has also rejected the charges against him.
A hearing on September 29 will decide on the date of the trial, the source said.
According to another source following the case, the trial could be held after the Paris municipal elections in March next year.
'She will go until the end,' Jean-Pierre Lecoq, mayor of the French capital's 6th district and one of Dati's close associates, said on Tuesday.
Ghosn, who headed the Renault-Nissan alliance, was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on suspicion of financial misconduct, before being sacked by Nissan's board.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
He jumped bail the following year and made a dramatic escape from Japan hidden in an audio-equipment box, landing in Beirut, where he remains as an international fugitive.
Japan and France have sought his arrest.
Ghosn's lawyers did not respond to a request for comment.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Europe Fractures Over Palestine? Italy's Meloni Rejects France's Recognition Push As ‘Illusion'
Europe Fractures Over Palestine? Italy's Meloni Rejects France's Recognition Push As ‘Illusion'

India.com

time39 minutes ago

  • India.com

Europe Fractures Over Palestine? Italy's Meloni Rejects France's Recognition Push As ‘Illusion'

Rome: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has rebuked France's decision to move toward recognising the State of Palestine, warning that such symbolic gestures risk misleading the world into believing a solution exists when it does not. Speaking to La Repubblica on Saturday, Meloni said, 'I am very much in favour of the State of Palestine, but I am not in favour of recognising it before its establishment.' 'If something that does not exist is recognised on paper, the problem could appear to be solved when it is not,' she further said. Her statement has come at a time when France's President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to make what he called a 'historic' declaration at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September. Macron has earlier declared, 'True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the State of Palestine.' The message appeared on both X and Instagram and has since been echoed across international headlines. France's pivot is more than symbolic. It places one of the EU's core powers squarely in the camp of the 142 nations that already recognise Palestinian statehood, according to an AFP count. This includes major countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America, but it notably excludes the United States, Germany and Italy. Like Italy, Germany has signalled its hesitation. Berlin made it clear it is not ready to follow Macron's lead, emphasising instead the need to achieve 'long-overdue progress' toward a two-state solution, rather than simply affirming it in principle. But Macron's announcement has reignited tensions with Israel and the United States, both of which have long opposed unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood. According to diplomats aligned with Tel Aviv and Washington, the fear is that such moves could sideline negotiations and embolden hardliners. The backdrop to all this is the historical arc that began in 1947, when the United Nations approved a resolution dividing British-mandated Palestine into two separate entities – one Jewish and one Arab. The next year, Israel declared statehood. The Arab state, meanwhile, has remained caught in limbo, recognised by many, but without defined borders, sovereignty or a unified government. Meloni's concern is rooted in that unresolved reality. While carefully worded, her message delivered a warning that premature recognition could solidify the illusion of peace without delivering it, leaving both Israelis and Palestinians trapped in the very limbo that generations of diplomacy have failed to escape.

France Maintains Tough Stand on Israel Despite Pause in Gaza War
France Maintains Tough Stand on Israel Despite Pause in Gaza War

Mint

timean hour ago

  • Mint

France Maintains Tough Stand on Israel Despite Pause in Gaza War

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the European Union is having 'tough discussions' with Israel to help speed humanitarian and financial aid to Palestinians in war-ravaged Gaza. The Israeli government has made 'first commitments that have not been fulfilled yet,' Barrot said on CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday. 'We expect the Israeli government to stop the operations of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation that has caused a bloodbath in humanitarian help distribution lines in Gaza.' Barrot was referring to the US-backed foundation that Israel set up after sidelining the United Nations relief network in Gaza. The operation has been dogged by allegations, including by the UN, that Palestinian aid seekers have been shot and killed near distribution points — incidents for which the agency and Israel deny responsibility. Tensions rose after President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that France would recognize a Palestinian state in September. That triggered a backlash from the US and Israel, which argues its offensive in Gaza is necessary to topple and disarm the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which the US and the European Union have designated a terrorist organization. On Sunday, the Israeli army suspended some military operations against Hamas to facilitate the movement of UN relief convoys into Gaza, and restored electricity to a desalination plant for the first time since March. Macron's move complements President Donald Trump's strategy for the region, Barrot said. He argued that recognizing Palestinian statehood will create the conditions for ending hostilities, releasing Israeli hostages and bringing Arab countries to call for the disarmament of Hamas. French and Saudi officials are expected to lead a conference to discuss Palestinian statehood in New York this week, he said. France and the EU expect the Israeli government 'to pay the €2 billion they owe to the Palestinian Authority and to lift the financial blockage that is now preventing the Palestinian Authority to implement its most basic missions,' Barrot said. He also called on Israel to abandon its latest plan to establish additional 3,400 housing units in the West Bank, saying it would split the occupied Palestinian territory in two and prevent the emergence of a viable Palestinian state. France would be the first Group of Seven country to recognize Palestine as a state. Other Western countries that recognize Palestine include Spain, Ireland and Norway.

Preah Vihear Temple explained — the sacred site behind deadly clashes between Thailand and Cambodia
Preah Vihear Temple explained — the sacred site behind deadly clashes between Thailand and Cambodia

Economic Times

timean hour ago

  • Economic Times

Preah Vihear Temple explained — the sacred site behind deadly clashes between Thailand and Cambodia

AP Preah Vihear Temple, the ancient Hindu site sitting high in the Dângrêk Mountains, has become the center of a long-running and deadly border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. While Cambodia won control of the temple in a 1962 ICJ ruling, Thailand still disputes ownership of the land around it. The issue exploded again in 2025, with fresh violence, political tension, and civilian casualties. What should be a symbol of history and peace continues to stir deep national pride, military clashes, and international concern. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith, File) Nestled atop a cliff in the Dângrêk Mountains, the ancient Preah Vihear Temple has become far more than a spiritual site. It's now the heart of a decades-long, sometimes deadly border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. Although this stunning 11th-century Hindu temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the land it sits on has fueled military clashes, displaced thousands, and triggered international court battles. But why exactly has this sacred site turned into a flashpoint for violence and political tension? The root of the dispute goes back to 1907, during the French colonial era, when France drew up a map placing Preah Vihear Temple inside Cambodian territory. Thailand (then known as Siam) initially accepted the map without official objection—but decades later, this decision came back to haunt both nations. Thailand now argues that the 1907 French map ignored a 1904 treaty, which said the border should follow the natural watershed line of the Dângrêk Mountains. According to Thai authorities, the watershed would have placed the temple well within Thailand's borders. Cambodia, however, continues to rely on the colonial-era map to assert sovereignty. ALSO READ: World War III: Thailand–Cambodia border clashes escalate toward war-like situation - South East Asia in turmoil In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in Cambodia's favor, awarding it sovereignty over the temple. Thailand was ordered to withdraw troops and return any artifacts taken from the site. This ruling caused an uproar in Thailand and has remained a source of diplomatic friction ever since. But the court's decision left one major issue unresolved—who owns the surrounding 4.6 square kilometers of land? The conflict reignited in 2008 when Cambodia successfully registered Preah Vihear as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thailand strongly opposed the move, fearing it would legitimize Cambodia's control over the surrounding territory. This led to a series of violent clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops, particularly between 2008 and 2011. The fighting included mortar shelling and rocket fire, leaving at least 20 people dead and thousands displaced. Schools and homes near the border were abandoned as entire communities fled the violence. Following the bloodshed, Cambodia once again approached the International Court of Justice in 2011, asking for a clear interpretation of its 1962 ruling. In 2013, the ICJ reaffirmed that the temple belongs to Cambodia and ordered Thailand to remove its forces from the area. It also ruled that Cambodia had sovereignty over the immediate vicinity of the temple. However, Thailand rejected further ICJ involvement in future disputes, insisting that all remaining border issues should be resolved through bilateral talks. Tensions reached new heights in May 2025, when a Cambodian soldier was killed and Thai troops were injured in a landmine blast near the disputed area. That incident was followed by rocket strikes and cross-border fighting, resulting in at least nine civilian deaths, including women and children, by July 2025. The violence prompted Cambodia to again request ICJ intervention, but Thailand rejected the move, refusing to recognize the court's jurisdiction over the latest incidents. In a dramatic twist, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from office after a leaked phone call with Cambodia's former prime minister Hun Sen surfaced. Critics accused her of compromising national security and territorial sovereignty. For Cambodia, Preah Vihear is a proud emblem of Khmer heritage and cultural glory. It's considered one of the most spiritually significant structures in the country's history, standing as a testament to its ancient civilization. For Thailand, the conflict represents more than just a land dispute. Nationalist groups view the contested area as stolen territory and see any concession as a betrayal of Thai sovereignty. One of the core issues is the lack of clear border demarcation. Despite multiple treaties and memoranda, no definitive agreement has been reached on where the boundary line falls—especially around the temple area. Even after numerous bilateral talks and military coordination efforts, both sides continue to patrol and claim parts of the area, making tensions a recurring issue. Despite being members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Thailand and Cambodia have struggled to use regional diplomacy to resolve the dispute. While Cambodia prefers international legal arbitration, Thailand insists on bilateral negotiations—a key reason why the issue remains unresolved. The border tension has also exposed ASEAN's limitations in resolving internal disputes, particularly when national pride, military presence, and sovereignty are involved. Beyond its cultural and historical value, the Preah Vihear Temple region holds significant economic and strategic importance: Tourism revenue : The temple draws thousands of visitors annually. : The temple draws thousands of visitors annually. Natural resources : Control over nearby lands could include access to valuable minerals and forested land. : Control over nearby lands could include access to valuable minerals and forested land. Geopolitical influence: The temple sits on elevated ground, giving strategic military advantage in a region that has seen repeated troop buildup. Year Event Outcome 1907 French map places temple in Cambodia Thailand accepts without formal protest 1962 ICJ awards temple to Cambodia Thailand ordered to withdraw 2008 Cambodia registers site with UNESCO Thailand objects, military clashes begin 2011–2013 Cambodia seeks ICJ clarification Cambodia wins reaffirmation, Thailand withdraws troops 2025 New violence erupts over landmines and airstrikes Dozens dead, border closed, political fallout ensues The tragic irony of the Preah Vihear Temple dispute is that a site built for devotion and unity has become a symbol of division and unrest. While international law has sided with Cambodia on multiple occasions, the situation remains volatile due to national pride, unclear borders, and shifting politics. Until both countries reach a clear, enforceable agreement, this sacred temple will likely remain a powder keg—caught between two nations and haunted by the past. Q1: Why is Preah Vihear Temple causing conflict between Thailand and Cambodia? Because both countries claim the temple and the land around it as their own. Q2: What did the ICJ rule about Preah Vihear Temple? The ICJ gave the temple to Cambodia in 1962 but didn't settle the full border. ( Originally published on Jul 24, 2025 )

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store