Since starting her campaign, Dati has aimed to gather support with social media videos akin to those that helped Zohran Mamdani rise from an unknown assemblyman to New York’s mayor.
Her clips, predictably, have a right-wing angle. She has appeared confronting migrants, drug users, and illegal vendors in tougher areas of Paris, gaining millions of views.
ACHILLES’ HEEL: Dati is divisive and often creates adversaries.
Although part of the conservative Les Républicains, Dati secured a cabinet role in early 2024, enduring her allies’ anger while trying to gain presidential backing for her mayoral campaign.
However, Renaissance, the main party supporting President Emmanuel Macron, opted to support one of Dati’s center-right rivals. The party leader, Gabriel Attal, was prime minister during Dati’s initial appointment as culture minister, and their conflict reportedly ended with Dati humorously threatening to turn Attal’s dog into a kebab.
If she succeeds, Dati will be visiting the courthouse regularly in September, facing trial for alleged corruption. She is accused of accepting funds from Renault as a consultant while lobbying for the automaker in her MEP capacity. Dati is also under investigation for other criminal matters, including the failure to report a significant jewelry collection.
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