Carlos Ghosn case development: Rachida Dati faces potential disqualification, proceeds with caution
The investigation into Rachida Dati, the current French Culture Minister, in the Carlos Ghosn case has reached a critical juncture. Following the rejection of her appeal by the Paris Court of Appeal against the indictment by the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF), Dati is now facing the possibility of a corruption trial alongside Ghosn [1][3][5].
A significant issue in the investigation revolves around a **crucial piece of evidence** that Dati's defense team claims was lost during the instruction phase of the case. They argue that this evidence is "determining" for the case and have requested that both Dati and the court clerk who was present in Beirut during Ghosn’s 2021 hearing be questioned by the new investigating judge appointed to the case [2].
In response to the court of appeal's decision, Dati's legal team filed an **urgent request for immediate examination** ("demande d'examen immédiat") before the Court of Cassation on July 2, 2025. This move indicates an attempt to accelerate the review process and potentially halt or delay the trial. The Court of Cassation has confirmed receipt of this request [2].
The current status of the case is as follows:
- The Paris Court of Appeal rejected Dati’s appeal against the indictment on June 26, 2025, giving the investigating judges the authority to decide whether to order a trial against her. - Dati’s defense continues to focus on the lost evidence, seeking to have both Dati and the court clerk interrogated anew. - The urgent request for immediate examination has been lodged at the Court of Cassation to address ongoing procedural issues and push for swift judicial review [1][2][3].
It is important to note that Carlos Ghosn, the former Renault-Nissan CEO, is wanted on two international arrest warrants by French justice and is currently at large in Lebanon. The role of the clerk present in Beirut during Ghosn’s 2021 questioning remains unclear in the case.
[1] Le Monde, "Rachida Dati: la ministre de la Culture est mise en examen dans l'affaire Carlos Ghosn," June 26, 2025,
[2] Le Figaro, "Rachida Dati: sa demande d'examen immédiat a été confirmée par la Cour de Cassation," July 5, 2025,
[3] France 24, "Rachida Dati faces trial over Carlos Ghosn case," July 7, 2025,
[5] Le Point, "Rachida Dati est mise en examen dans l'affaire Carlos Ghosn," June 26, 2025,
The growing politics surrounding the Carlos Ghosn case have led to the French Culture Minister, Rachida Dati, facing a potential corruption trial. The focus of her legal team's defense lies in a critical piece of evidence that allegedly went missing during the case's instruction phase, which they deem as determining for the trial. In response to the court of appeal's decision, an urgent request for immediate examination has been submitted to the Court of Cassation to expedite the review process.
