French Culture Minister Rachida Dati resigned from her position on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, to concentrate on her campaign for Paris mayor. She submitted her resignation letter to President Emmanuel Macron, who accepted it and expressed his support for her mayoral bid. Dati, who has been in office for two years and recently managed changes at the Louvre Museum, is considered the frontrunner in the mayoral race, with the first round of voting scheduled for March 15 and a potential second round on March 22.