French prosecutors seek four-year prison term for Rachida Dati

France’s financial prosecutors have asked a Paris court to sentence former minister Rachida Dati to four years in prison. Two years of the proposed term could be served under an alternative arrangement. Prosecutors also sought five-year bans on her standing for election, working in the civil service and practising law, with those bans taking effect immediately if imposed. [2]

Prosecutors did not specifically ask for electronic monitoring, AFP reported, although that is an arrangement judges commonly order for a sentence of this kind. [2]

Dati, a former member of the European Parliament, is on trial on charges including passive corruption and passive influence peddling. Prosecutors allege that she received €900,000 linked to Renault-Nissan in exchange for unlawful lobbying in the European Parliament between October 2009 and February 2013. Investigating judges concluded that the money was paid as legal fees in instalments of €300,000 a year from 2010 to 2012. [2] [4]

Dati denies the allegations. She says she performed legitimate legal work that was compatible with her elected role. [4]