In France, the head of the Arab World Institute, Jack Lang, who is mentioned in the case files of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has resigned.
Lang, 86, is the most senior French official named in recently released documents from the Epstein case. Being mentioned in documents does not mean that a person has committed a crime, but it casts a negative shadow on the reputation.
Lang was invited to appear at the Foreign Ministry, which oversees the Arab world body, on Sunday to give an explanation, but he has tendered his resignation.
Lang’s lawyer, Laurent Merle, told radio station RTL on Sunday that Lang is leaving his post with deep sadness, but that the interests of the Arab World Institute come first for him.
French media reports that Lang repeatedly approached Epstein with requests for funds or services, while his daughter’s name appears in documents related to an offshore company she jointly owned with Epstein.
His daughter, film producer Caroline Lang, resigned as head of the Independent Producers Guild on Monday.
Lang, who has served as culture minister and education minister in various French governments for nearly 20 years, has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes. On Wednesday, he refused to step down as president of the Arab World Institute, but pressure mounted.
Lang has been leading the Arab World Institute since 2013.
date:2026-02-08 18:15:00
Related reading