France's highest appeal court on Wednesday, February 14, confirmed a decision to drop an investigation into a rape allegation against Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, ending a long-running legal saga.

Lower courts had confirmed a decision by judges and prosecutors to drop an investigation into an allegation made by Sophie Patterson-Spatz that Darmanin raped her in 2009. He was never charged in the case.

"This decision marks the end of a procedure that has lasted for seven years and concerns alleged events going back nearly 15 years," Darmanin's lawyers said in a statement after the verdict by the Court of Cassation.

Patterson-Spatz, 52, first brought the rape accusation in 2017. Darmanin admitted to having had a sexual encounter with the woman but denied the claim that he had raped her.

The verdict is a boost for Darmanin, 41, a high-flying figure on the right of President Emmanuel Macron's centrist government who frequently talks tough on fighting illegal immigration and crime.

A protege of former right-wing president Nicolas Sarkozy, Darmanin had indicated he was interested in running for the presidency in 2027 but in December said he believed former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe is best placed to succeed Macron.

A second rape investigation against Darmanin, on suspicion he extorted sex from a woman in exchange for a job and an apartment, was dropped in 2018.