The French culture minister is to go on trial over alleged corruption and abuse of power while she was a member of the European parliament, a judicial source has said.
Dati is accused of accepting €900,000 in lawyer’s fees between 2010 and 2012 from a Netherlands-based subsidiary of Renault-Nissan, but of not really working for it. She was an Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 2009 to 2019.
Investigations have tried to determine whether she was in fact lobbying in the European parliament for the carmaker, an activity that is forbidden.
Dati denies the allegations, and lashed out at some of the investigating magistrates on her case, accusing them of "trampling" on her rights.
A court hearing on 29 September will decide on the date of the trial.
Main Image: Rachida Dati, Laurent Vu / SIPA