January 16, 2026
Polls show Rachida Dati could reach Paris mayoral runoff despite questions over €420,000 in gifts from executive tied to Russian oligarchs
French Culture Minister Rachida Dati is running to become the mayor of Paris, with the first round of voting set for Mar
TL;DR
- Rachida Dati, France's Culture Minister, is a candidate for Paris mayor.
- She is under investigation for passive corruption, influence peddling, and suspicious payments from companies.
- Investigations include gifts worth over €420,000 from businessman Henri Proglio between 2017 and 2023.
- Proglio also covered Dati's apartment rent for several years, even after their reported separation.
- Dati previously received €900,000 from Renault-Nissan B.V. and €299,000 from GDF Suez, which she stated were for legal work and consulting.
- Proglio holds senior positions in French energy and defense companies and has business ties to Russian firms.
- Dati's campaign focuses on austerity and everyday Parisian concerns, despite her personal wealth.