France’s ex-minister resigns from Arab World Institute over Epstein ties

Jack Lang, a former French culture minister, resigned as president of the Arab World Institute after revelations of his past contacts with Jeffrey Epstein and the launch of a financial investigation, the Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

France’s foreign minister summoned Lang to a meeting on Sunday as the country’s financial crimes prosecutors opened a probe into him and his daughter Caroline after revelations in the late sex offender’s files.

Lang, 86, is the highest-profile French figure caught up in the latest US release of documents linked to the American financier who killed himself in 2019 while in prison facing charges of sex trafficking underage girls.

French media reported Lang repeatedly appealed to Epstein for funds or favours, while his daughter’s name appears in the files of an offshore company co-owned with the disgraced financier. Caroline Lang, a film producer, resigned on Monday from her role as head of the Independent Production Union.

Jack Lang, who spent nearly 20 years as culture minister and education minister in different governments, denied having any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes despite his conviction in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution.

Lang’s name appears more than 600 times in the Epstein files, Reuters news agency reported. A mere mention in the files does not imply wrongdoing.

Lang is an eminent figure in French politics and cultural life who is known for, among other cultural projects, creating France’s annual Festival of Music.

On Wednesday, he refused to step down as president of the cultural hub focused on the Arabic-speaking world.

Pressure has increased, however, and the foreign ministry – which provides half of the institute’s budget – has ordered him to a meeting.

Lang on Saturday told AFP news agency that allegations against him are “baseless” and he’s facing the investigation “with serenity”.

“The accusations being made against me are baseless,” Lang said in a statement.

Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Lang was summoned and will be received on Sunday.

“The first elements emerging from these files are new and extremely serious and require in-depth examination,” Barrot said.

But his priority, he said, is to ensure the proper running of the IMA. The 12.3 million euros ($14.5m) the IMA receives annually from the foreign ministry accounts for half of the institute’s budget.

France’s financial crimes prosecutors told AFP on Friday they started a preliminary investigation into Lang and his daughter.

The pair will be investigated for “laundering of aggravated tax-fraud proceeds” over their suspected financial ties with Epstein, the office said.

“I fear nothing and I am clean as a whistle,” Lang told French radio RTL on Wednesday.

Storms in European capitals

The release of the Epstein files has rippled across Europe.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer apologised to Epstein’s victims for appointing Peter Mandelson as the United Kingdom’s ambassador to the US despite the diplomat’s close ties to the late sex offender.

Mandelson is being investigated over documents suggesting he passed sensitive government information to Epstein a decade and a half ago.

Members of Norway’s elite, too, are under pressure. Public figures including Crown Princess Mette-Marit and former prime minister and foreign minister Thorbjoern Jagland are all under scrutiny.

Norway’s economic crime police unit said on Thursday it is investigating Jagland on suspicion of aggravated corruption.

The crown princess said on Friday she “deeply regretted” her friendship with Epstein and the embarrassment it has caused the royal family.

Other Norwegians facing questions include former foreign minister Boerge Brende, now CEO of the World Economic Forum; Mona Juul, ambassador to Jordan and Iraq; and her husband Terje Roed-Larsen.

Joanna Rubinstein, chair of Sweden for UNHCR, resigned from her post on Monday after the revelation of a 2012 visit to Epstein’s Caribbean island.

In Slovakia, Prime Minister Robert Fico’s national security adviser Miroslav Lajcak resigned after emails were revealed in which he discussed young women with Epstein.

Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland have set up wide-ranging official investigations into the documents.

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said a team would scour the files for potential Polish victims, and any links between Epstein and Russian secret services.