Jack Lang, former Culture Minister, resigned on Saturday from his position as president of the Arab World Institute (IMA), under pressure from a judicial investigation and media outcry related to his ties with Jeffrey Epstein. Aged 86, he fully assumes these relations but pleads naivety, stating they date back before the revelation of the American financier's crimes. The French government has taken note of his decision, emphasizing that it preserves the institution.
Jack Lang, an iconic figure of French socialism and former Culture Minister under François Mitterrand, announced his resignation from the presidency of the Arab World Institute (IMA) on February 7, 2026. This decision comes after the publication, on January 30, of 3 million new documents related to the Epstein case by the U.S. Department of Justice. Jack Lang's name appears about 700 times, and his daughter Caroline's nearly 1,000 times, revealing close ties with the financier convicted of underage sex trafficking.
The documents detail financial relations, including an offshore company and exchanges about a riad in Morocco as well as references to a 'new sexuality' of children. The National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) opened a preliminary investigation on Friday against Jack Lang and his daughter for 'aggravated tax fraud laundering.' In a statement to AFP, the former minister said: 'I fully assume the links I may have created with Jeffrey Epstein, but at a time when nothing suggested the existence of his criminal network,' despite Epstein's 2008 conviction for underage prostitution.
Questioned on RTL on February 4, Jack Lang was surprised by calls for his resignation: 'Is this a joke? I don't feel in turmoil at all.' But facing pressure from the Élysée and Matignon, as well as media outcry, he chose to step down to 'preserve the IMA and its exemplary work.' Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has called an extraordinary board meeting within seven days to appoint an interim successor. The name of Audrey Azoulay, former UNESCO director, is circulating.
Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon reacted on Franceinfo: 'Jack Lang made the only possible decision; the situation was untenable.' Commentators like Pierre Vermeren see it as the 'twilight of cultural leftism,' while Guillaume Tabard refers to a 'long indulgence' for this Mitterrand-era figure. The judicial investigation continues, with Jack Lang stating: 'The accusations against me are inaccurate, and I will prove it.'
