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Maud Bregeon, spokesperson for the French government, has affirmed that Rachida Dati «has every right to be in the government.» This comment comes in the wake of searches at the Minister of Culture's residence and her office in Paris's seventh arrondissement, linked to an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption.
In an interview on RTL radio, Brégeon addressed the judicial scrutiny facing the minister: «Rachida Dati has consistently maintained her innocence, and naturally, she is presumed innocent (...) there is no issue.» She further remarked, «She is doing an excellent job at the Ministry of Culture.»
The allegations suggest that Rachida Dati received payments from GDF Suez during her tenure as a European MP (2009-2019), without disclosing the source to the European Parliament, according to sources cited by AFP.
The financial prosecutor's office has disclosed that the judicial investigation encompasses «charges of active and passive corruption, influence peddling, embezzlement of public funds, and laundering of these offenses related to Ms. Rachida Dati's role as a European MP.»
In June, Dati asserted that the accounting records relevant to this case had been scrutinized by the judiciary, stating, «Everything is declared, and everything is very clear.»
The Republican party's candidate for the Paris mayoral race is also scheduled to appear in criminal court in another case in September 2026, facing charges of corruption and influence peddling alongside Carlos Ghosn. Both parties deny the allegations in this case, which has been under investigation since 2019.
Additionally, Dati is under investigation for allegedly failing to report luxury jewelry to the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life. She affirmed in May that she has «nothing to settle» regarding her compliance status.
