# French minister on trial for secret lobbying deal

> Rachida Dati faces corruption charges over €900,000 in payments while serving in the European parliament.
- Title: French minister on trial for secret lobbying deal | Shortify
- Summary: Rachida Dati faces corruption charges over €900,000 in payments while serving in the European parliament. A prominent French politician is accused of…
- Keywords: rachida dati, france, corruption charges, european parliament, renault-nissan, carlos ghosn, illegal lobbying, paris trial, french politics, justice minister, culture minister, news
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/16/rachida-dati-france-former-culture-minister-trial-corruption-renault-nissan-carlos-ghosn
- Published: 2026-09-16T15:48:43+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: rachida dati, france, corruption charges, european parliament, renault-nissan, carlos ghosn, illegal lobbying, paris trial, french politics, justice minister, culture minister, news
## Former minister faces corruption trial
Rachida Dati, a prominent French politician who served as culture and justice minister, went on trial in Paris on Wednesday over corruption charges linked to the Renault-Nissan carmaking group.
## The €900,000 payment question
Dati accepted €900,000 in lawyer's fees from a Renault-Nissan subsidiary while serving as a member of the European parliament. Prosecutors say the money was actually payment for illegal lobbying, which is banned for MEPs.
## Defense claims legitimate legal work
Dati's legal team says she worked exclusively as a lawyer for the Renault-Nissan subsidiary and denies all corruption allegations. Prosecutors argue there is no evidence she actually performed legal work.

> Unfounded allegations of influence peddling in the European parliament stem from an artificial intellectual construct devised by the prosecution.
## Carlos Ghosn tried in absentia
Dati is on trial alongside Carlos Ghosn, the disgraced former Renault-Nissan chief, who will be tried in absentia. Ghosn fled Japan in 2019 to escape financial misconduct charges and is now in Lebanon.
## Disguised contract from 2009
Prosecutors say a legal services contract signed in 2009 between Dati and Ghosn, paying €300,000 annually, was used to disguise lobbying work. Investigators found the contract during a search of Renault's headquarters in 2019.
## Potential prison time and penalties
If convicted, Dati faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of €450,000, and a five-year ban from holding public office. She also faces separate investigations over undeclared payments and luxury goods.
## Key takeaway

A prominent French politician is accused of accepting hidden payments for illegal lobbying work disguised as legal fees.