COLUMN: Jack Lang, the Fall of a Legend—When the Epstein Scandal Sweeps Everything in Its Path

The Élysée and the Quai d’Orsay Under Pressure

As soon as the first revelations came to light, the Élysée and Matignon reacted. Emmanuel Macron’s staff asked Jack Lang to “think of the institution” he heads. That’s an understatement. Because what’s at stake is much more than the IMA’s image. It’s the credibility of an entire political class. How can one explain that Lang, appointed in 2013 and reappointed in 2023, was able to remain in office despite the rumors? How can it be justified that no one—neither at the Élysée nor at the Quai d’Orsay—investigated his ties to Epstein? “The priority is to ensure the proper functioning and integrity of the Arab World Institute,” stated Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister of Foreign Affairs. A statement that sounds like an admission: the institution takes precedence over ethics.

Yet the pressure was intense. As early as February 4, elected officials from across the political spectrum demanded Lang’s resignation. Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally, denounced “the complacency of the political and media establishment.” On the left, there are whispers that Lang is a “liability.” On the right, there is outrage over his continued tenure. Even within the government, officials admit—on condition of anonymity—that his position is “untenable.” Yet it wasn’t until February 7, and the opening of a judicial investigation, that Lang finally relented. “The only possible decision, the only desirable decision,” comments Maud Bregeon, government spokesperson. A statement that sums it all up: one does not resign out of conviction, but out of necessity.

And now? The IMA must find a successor. A complex task, given the tense diplomatic climate between France and Arab countries. Because Lang was not just a president. He was a figurehead, a symbol, a bridge between two worlds. His departure leaves a void. But it is also an opportunity: a chance to turn the page. To show that, this time, lessons have been learned. That appointments are no longer made based on connections, but on competence and integrity. It remains to be seen whether political leaders will draw the necessary conclusions. Or whether, once again, they’ll simply settle for replacing individuals without changing the system itself.

What strikes me about this case is the slowness of the political response. It’s as if, once again, we had to wait for the scandal to break, for the media to pick up the story, and for public outrage to erupt before the institutions would take action. As if, without that pressure, nothing would happen. And then there’s that line from Jean-Noël Barrot: “think of the institution.” As if the IMA were more important than the truth. As if an institution’s reputation mattered more than the justice owed to the victims. That’s the real problem. Not Jack Lang. Not even Jeffrey Epstein. But this culture of impunity, this conviction that institutions, networks, and friendships come before everything else. Before ethics. Before transparency. Before the victims. And no press release, no resignation, will be enough to change that.

Their Struggle, Our Silence

Amid the media frenzy, the power plays, and the cascade of resignations, there are names we forget—those of the hundreds of young girls, some of them minors, whom Jeffrey Epstein abused, exploited, and shattered. Women, some of whom dared to speak out, confront their tormentors, and demand justice. And who, even today, see their hopes betrayed by politicians more concerned with their careers than with the truth.

For beyond Jack Lang, beyond the French controversies, lies their suffering. The suffering of these victims who are still waiting for justice to be served. The suffering of these women who have had to face the judgmental stares of others, the contempt of institutions, and the indifference of those in power. And today, while the names of Lang, Mandelson, and so many others are making headlines, they remain in the shadows. Their voices are drowned out by the clamor of scandals. Their struggles are pushed to the sidelines.

Yet they are at the heart of this affair. Because it is for them that the truth must come to light. Because it is for them that the accomplices must be held accountable for their actions. Because it is for them that men like Lang, Mandelson, and so many others must finally understand that their associations, their silences, and their compromises come at a price. A price paid in tears, in trauma, in shattered lives. And when we see how easily a Jack Lang can hide behind his “naivety,” how casually he can downplay his ties to Epstein, we ask ourselves: where is justice? Where is redress? Where, quite simply, is dignity?

I’m thinking of them tonight. Of those women who had to face hell, then contempt, then indifference. They believed in justice. They believed that, perhaps, one day, the powerful would pay for what they did—or for what they allowed to happen. But no. Today, they’re being offered quiet resignations, half-hearted apologies, and promises of reform. As if that were enough. As if that could erase years of suffering. The truth is that Jack Lang is just one link in the chain. That the “Epstein files” are just the tip of the iceberg. And that as long as we accept these half-measures, these unspoken truths, these compromises with morality, we will all be complicit. Complicit in their silence. Complicit in their pain.

Three Ways Out of the Impasse

Jack Lang’s resignation will not be enough. To restore even a semblance of credibility, we must go further. Three measures are essential. First, an independent commission of inquiry into the ties between Epstein and the French elite. Not an internal investigation, not a task entrusted to those close to power, but a genuine commission, with broad powers, complete transparency, and a clear mandate: to get to the bottom of the matter. Next, a thorough reform of the appointment processes for strategic positions. No more cronyism, no more special favors. Just objective criteria, rigorous vetting, and a commitment to transparency. Finally, unwavering support for the victims. Not just words, not just press releases, but concrete action. Legal, psychological, and financial assistance. Because if France truly wants to turn the page, it must do so for them—not just to save face.

And then there’s us. The citizens. The voters. The readers. Our role is not to look the other way, to settle for resignations, or to believe that everything is resolved just because a man has left his post. Our role is to demand. To demand that the truth come to light. To demand that the accomplices be prosecuted. To demand that the institutions change. Because if we don’t do it, who will? If we let this slide, what will we accept tomorrow?

Jack Lang is gone. But the Epstein case won’t end there. Because the documents keep revealing more. Because names keep coming to light. Because the victims are still waiting. So yes, his resignation is a step forward. But it’s only the beginning. The real work begins now. And it won’t stop until justice is served. Not until those responsible are held accountable for their actions. Not until France shows that it is capable of facing the truth head-on. Even when it hurts.

I don’t know if Jack Lang is guilty. I don’t know if he truly believed his relationship with Epstein was innocent. What I do know is that his case is not an isolated one. What I do know is that men like him—powerful, well-protected, well-connected men—have all too often believed they could bend the rules. What I do know is that the victims, for their part, do not have that luxury. They have no networks to protect them. They have no titles to exonerate them. They have only their courage, their determination, and this simple, fundamental, vital demand: that justice be served. So yes, let’s demand it. Let’s demand that the investigations be carried through to the end. Let’s demand that the accomplices be prosecuted. Let’s demand that the institutions change. Because if we don’t, we will all, one day, be complicit in their silence.

The Choice We Have Left

The Jack Lang case is revealing. It reveals the flaws in our system, the complacency of our elites, and the impunity of those who believe themselves untouchable. But it is also an opportunity. An opportunity to show that, this time, things will change. That victims will no longer be sacrificed on the altar of careers. That the powerful will no longer be able to hide behind their naivety. That the truth, at last, will have the final say.

To achieve this, we need courage. We must break with old habits. We must be willing to lose battles in order to win the war for trust. And above all, we must understand one thing: in a democracy, legitimacy cannot be decreed. It must be earned. Every day. Every decision. Every action.

So yes, Jack Lang’s resignation is a step forward. But it is only the beginning. The real work begins now. And it will not stop until justice is served. Not until those responsible are held accountable for their actions. Not until France shows that it is capable of facing the truth head-on. Even when it hurts. Even when it shakes our certainties. Even when it forces us to choose between power and ethics. Because it is in moments like these that the future of a society is decided. And because, today more than ever, we cannot afford to make a mistake.

I don’t know what the future holds for Jack Lang. Perhaps he’ll make a comeback, find a new role, a new platform. Perhaps not. But one thing is certain: this case has changed something. It has shown that even the most powerful, even the most protected, even the most respected, can fall. It has shown that when the truth comes out, nothing is the same as before. So yes, let’s keep asking questions. Let’s keep demanding answers. Let’s keep fighting to ensure that the victims are heard. Because that is what democracy is all about. Not silence. Not resignation. Not forgetting. But the struggle, every day, to ensure that justice prevails. And today, in the face of the Epstein case, in the face of Jack Lang’s downfall, in the face of all these gray areas, that struggle has never been more necessary.

Signed, Jacques Provost