Rachida Dati is the current French Minister of Justice and Mayor of Paris' 7th arrondissement. She is closely-tied to current President Nicolas Sarkozy, and was appointed Minister of Justice after he won the 2007 presidential elections. Dati, born to Moroccan and Algerian immigrant parents, is the first person of non-European lineage to hold a Cabinet-level position in France.
Racial Identity
Dati was born in France, which makes her a French Citizen. But she was also born to Moroccan and Algerian immigrant parents, which grants her citizenship in Morocco. Despite her dual-citizenship, Dati considers herself a "French woman of French origins"India Today Group Online: Can Carla Bruni hold on to Nicolas Sarkozy? (June 6, 2008)
Sarkozy Spin Control
In 2005, Nicolas Sarkozy—then still a presidential hopeful—maligned those who participated in the Paris Riots. Since many of them were of North African descent, Sarkozy was widely accused of racism. Dati was his campaign adviser at the time, and had to respond to the many accusations.BBC: Profile - Rachida Dati (May 18, 2007)
Rachida Dati Background and Profiles
References
Fast Facts
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Born
November 27, 1965 in Saint-Rémy, France
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Political party
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Fact:
Current French Minister of Justice
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Assumed office
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Previous office
Campaign spokesperson for Nicolas Sarkozy's presidential campaign
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Fact:
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Fact:
First person of non-European descent, and first Arab to hold Cabinet-level position
