The investigation began in 2019. Rachida Dati tried to avoid the trial, arguing in particular the prescription of the facts; in vain.
This Tuesday evening on LCI, the minister launched her counter-offensive, exhibiting her “Reality of things”. She also denounced, without the slightest proof, a “shameful instrumentalization”. She pointed out that the referral order had fallen just after announcing its intention to run for the second district of Paris to the partial legislative election. “In the same way, in 2019, the survey was opened when I was invested as a candidate for the town hall of Paris.”
“I will not give up on anything”she still dropped, refusing to resign or withdraw her applications. The former Keeper of the Seals also deplored a “Incident enameled procedure” et “Serious attacks on defense rights”. “Some magistrates walk on it.”
France: The PS requests the resignation of Rachida Dati qualified as “thug”
The replica of magistrates
The reactions of the legal world were not long in coming. “The stigma publicly thrown on magistrates subject to the duty of reserve, and not being able to respond to these attacks, throws discredit on the judicial authority and undermines the legitimate confidence of citizens in justice”deplores the president of the Paris court, Peimane Ghaleh-Marzban.
For his part, Jean-François Bohnert, the prosecutor at the head of the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) who opened the investigation and required a trial, recalls that Rachida Dati “Pu freely, throughout the judicial information, like any justiciable, asserting its rights and exercising all the remedies that it estimated useful”.
Lonely, and jostled in Paris
Rachida Dati received little support from her own camp after his counter-offensive, except the Minister of Justice Gérald Darmanin who recalled that she was presumed innocent. President Emmanuel Macron, he took note of the referral in correctional.
The position of the Minister of Culture is all the more weakened since it accumulates controversies. Even his leadership on the right is disputed in Paris. Rachida Dati considers that everyone has to line up behind her for the municipal elections, but discordant voices are heard. The mayor of the 17th arrondissement, Geoffroy Boulard, rather pleads for the organization of a primary.
On Franceinfo this Wednesday, Othman Nasrou, secretary general of the Republicans, slipped that “Rachida data [était] a legitimate candidate “for the Paris town hall, But that she was not the only one. An inauguration commission must meet “Probably at the start of the school year” To designate who will represent the right in Paris.
Former Minister Clément Beaune, figure of the Macronie who hears “Play a role” In the municipal elections in the capital, also criticized the attack-defense attack on Rachida Dati this Wednesday on France 2. “When you are a public official, when you are a minister, you don’t attack the judges. We are not Trump’s America, we are the French Republic.”
Judicial turmoil: in turmoil as it aims at the town hall of Paris, Minister Rachida Dati attacks magistrates
Pierre-Yves Bournazel, close to Edouard Philippe and candidate for the town hall of Paris with Horizons, a party who supports the government, considers that Rachida Dati should resign. He even allowed himself to tackle Emmanuel Macron on BFM this Wednesday. “There was, from 92-93, the case law which was called Bérégovoy-Balladur, who wanted a minister indicted should resign. President Emmanuel Macron put an end to this logic, but there, we go even further than the indictment. There is a correctional referral.”
As for the left parties, they rub their hands. “Paris deserves a mayor, not a defendant”, Looked down the socialist Emmanuel Grégoire, deputy mayor of Paris and candidate for 2026.
A first hearing to fix the date of the trial is scheduled for September 29. Rachida Dati made an appeal against her correctional referral.
