French former culture and justice minister Rachida Dati has gone on trial in Paris over allegations that she accepted €900,000 from Renault-Nissan in exchange for political influence. Dati, who served as a European Parliament member between 2009 and 2019, says the payments were for legal services and denies wrongdoing.

Prosecutors allege that the contract was used to disguise lobbying activities on behalf of Renault-Nissan and that former CEO Carlos Ghosn recruited Dati to lobby in the European Parliament and help establish contacts with former French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Ghosn is also on trial but will not appear in court, as he has been living in Lebanon since 2019.

If convicted, Dati could face up to 10 years in prison, a fine and a five-year ban from public office. The case could also affect her position as mayor of Paris’s 7th district, a role she has held since 2008. Anti-corruption groups involved in the case are calling for stricter rules on political lobbying in France.

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