In brief
Amid growing pressure, François Bayrou maintains he was unaware of past abuses, despite strong ties to the controversial institution.
French Prime Minister François Bayrou found himself at the center of a scandal during a parliamentary inquiry on Wednesday, where he asserted under oath that he had never received any personal reports of the alleged physical and sexual abuse occurring at the Notre-Dame de Bétharram school, a private Catholic institution closely connected to him. This claim comes as over 200 legal complaints have emerged against former priests and staff regarding abuse ranging from physical assault to sexual violence, spanning from 1957 to 2004.Since the revelations surfaced, Bayrou's popularity has dwindled, inciting calls for his resignation. He emphasized that he only became aware of the disturbing incidents through media coverage, despite an admission from earlier this year during a National Assembly meeting when he assured, “I have evidently never, never ever, been informed of anything when it comes to violence, let alone sexual violence.” Bayrou’s connection to the school is personal as three of his children attended there. Additionally, his daughter Hélène Perlant disclosed to Paris Match magazine that she was physically abused by a priest at the school during her teenage years, a fact she had kept from her father. The atmosphere at the parliamentary hearing turned heated, as accusations flew amidst interruptions, with Bayrou appearing agitated and at times bewildered. He insinuated that the emerging scandal might be a politically motivated attack against him, diverting attention from his governance.
