Rachida Dati, the mayor of Paris’s 7th arrondissement, is continuing to face questioning as part of her trial for corruption and influence peddling at the Paris correctional court. The trial, which began earlier this week, includes a second interrogation session on Monday, September 21, at 1:30 p.m., following a three-hour session on Thursday evening. During the Thursday session, Dati emphasized that she "exercised as a lawyer" in relation to a contract with Renault-Nissan VB (RNVB), a company accused of paying her 900,000 euros in legal fees between 2009 and May 2012, despite her not providing actual legal work. Dati stated she did not keep records of her work and claimed the former CEO of Renault, Carlos Ghosn, was aware of the terms of the agreement. Carlos Ghosn, currently on the run in Lebanon and facing an arrest warrant, had requested a postponement for the hearing that began on Wednesday but was not present at the start of the session. The court proceeded with the trial regardless. Ghosn is being tried alongside Dati for corruption and influence peddling and is suspected of being the person who influenced Dati to engage in the alleged misconduct. Both defendants could face up to ten years in prison. Dati also faces a potential fine of 450,000 euros, half of the fees she received, and could lose her position as mayor if she is sentenced to a complementary ineligibility penalty of up to five years, which might be enforced provisionally. The trial centers on the alleged financial relationship between Dati and RNVB, with prosecutors arguing that the payments were made to secure Dati’s influence rather than for legitimate legal work. Dati has not been found guilty of any crime yet, and the trial is ongoing, with more sessions expected in the coming weeks. The case has drawn significant public attention, given Dati’s high-profile political role and Ghosn’s notoriety as a former executive of major automotive companies. The legal proceedings are being closely watched by both the public and legal experts, as they could set important precedents regarding corruption and the influence of corporate interests in public office. The court is expected to continue examining evidence and testimonies in the days ahead, with no immediate verdict anticipated.