Jack Lang, a former French culture minister under President Francois Mitterrand, has resigned as president of the Arab World Institute, as announced by the French Foreign Affairs ministry on Saturday. This decision was made under intense pressure, stemming from Lang's controversial ties with the late financier and convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
French media outlets such as Le Monde, Le Figaro, and Mediapart reported that a preliminary investigation had been initiated after US documents revealed years of correspondence and financial links between Lang and Epstein. The office confirmed the investigation but refrained from providing further details.
Lang himself addressed the situation on X, stating that he welcomed the investigation "with serenity and even relief." He asserted, "It will allow all the light to be shed on accusations attacking my integrity and my honor." He further added, "The accusations leveled against me are baseless, and I will demonstrate this, beyond the sound and fury of the media and digital courts."
According to a Reuters review of the Epstein files, Lang's name appears more than 600 times. On Monday, Caroline Lang, a long-time media executive, also resigned as head of France's Independent Production Union after her own links to Epstein surfaced.
Jack Lang's lawyer told BFM TV that he would "prove that he is not involved in any malpractice or criminal offense." He added, "There has been no movement of funds... But I think it is normal for justice to want to verify this."
The file dump has heightened scrutiny of Epstein's global connections with public figures such as Britain's Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Peter Mandelson, the former UK ambassador to the United States, and Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit.
