During a live television appearance on France 5, Minister of Culture Rachida Dati engaged in a heated exchange with columnist Patrick cohen, turning the discussion from an examination into Dati to allegations of harassment against Cohen.

The tense atmosphere arose during a discussion about a recent “Investigation Supplement” program focusing on Rachida Dati. When Cohen pressed Dati about the program’s claims, she responded by questioning him about a Mediapart investigation concerning alleged harassment and toxic management.

“Mr. Cohen, is it true that you harass your employees? Are you unpleasant with the peopel you work with?” Dati asked, referencing the mediapart report.Cohen denied the allegations, but Dati persisted, leading to a visibly uncomfortable exchange.

Host Anne-Elisabeth Lemoine intervened, clarifying that the Mediapart report was an article, not a formal investigation. Dati then shifted her focus to rumors surrounding the working conditions at “C to you,” the television program, asking Lemoine if it was true that the atmosphere was “appalling” and that people were constantly crying. Lemoine denied the claims,expressing irritation.

Dati continued to press Cohen on the harassment allegations, stating that she had been thoroughly investigated in the past and had provided answers, while Cohen had not. She further threatened to report Cohen under Article 40, which concerns the reporting of crimes, based on the Mediapart article.

Cohen responded by calling Dati’s actions “dishonorable,” and Lemoine quickly changed the subject to defuse the situation.