Former Culture Minister Jack Lang proposed his resignation from the presidency of the Arab World Institute (IMA) on Saturday, February 7, 2026, amid pressure from revelations about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Summoned to the Quai d’Orsay, he yielded after a preliminary investigation opened by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office against him and his daughter Caroline for aggravated tax fraud laundering. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot acknowledged the decision and will initiate the succession process.
Jack Lang, an iconic figure of the French left and former Culture Minister under François Mitterrand, had led the Arab World Institute (IMA) since 2013, after four terms and twelve years at its helm. This diplomatic and cultural institution, mainly funded by France, gained momentum under his presidency through his network, attracting patrons and ambitious exhibitions, though hampered by limited engagement from Arab countries.
The release on January 30, 2026, of millions of documents by U.S. justice—the 'Epstein files'—revealed close ties between Jack Lang and Jeffrey Epstein, the financier and sex offender who died in prison in 2019. Lang's name appears 673 times, and his daughter Caroline's 948 times, highlighting shared economic interests. Among the unearthed exchanges: a 2015 negotiation for the sale of a riad in Marrakech, a 2017 solicitation of $57,897 for a film on the 'Lang-Mitterrand years,' and messages like 'Dear Jeffrey, (…) your generosity is infinite' or 'May I abuse again?', where Lang requests a car ride to a party.
Epstein, convicted in 2008 for using underage prostitutes, was known for his influential network. Lang claimed ignorance of his criminal past when they met about fifteen years ago through Woody Allen, pleading naivety. On Friday, February 6, the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) opened a preliminary investigation for 'aggravated tax fraud laundering' against Jack and Caroline Lang, following Mediapart's revelations about an offshore company founded by Caroline in 2016 with Epstein.
Under political pressure, including from the Socialist Party via its first secretary Olivier Faure who urges him to resign to protect the institution and reserve benevolence for victims, Lang is summoned on Sunday, February 8, to the Foreign Ministry by Jean-Noël Barrot, at the request of the Élysée and Matignon. On Saturday, from Morocco where he attended an art fair, he wrote to Barrot: 'The current climate (…) is deleterious. It revolts and repulses me. It can only harm this magnificent institution.' He proposes his resignation at the next extraordinary board meeting to ensure continuity.
Barrot acknowledged it and will convene a board within seven days for an interim president. The Élysée also took note. Caroline Lang resigned from the head of a cinema producers syndicate, the Series Mania board, and Pictanovo. Lang welcomes the investigation 'with serenity and even relief,' stating he will cooperate to clarify accusations against his integrity.
