It is a matter with facts of more than thirty years ago in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, but which is weakening to the summit of the State. François Bayrou is accused by the left of having lied about a case of physical violence, sexual assault and rape on minors at the College-Lycée Notre-Dame-de-Bétharram, in Béarn. While the Pau prosecution has been carrying out the investigation for almost a year in more than a hundred complaints, the Prime Minister assures that he was never made aware of, at a time when he held the posts of the Minister of the ‘National Education or deputy for the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. Affirmations contradicted by revelations of the press, as well as testimonies of witnesses and victims. L’Express takes stock.
The summary of the case
The Pau prosecution has been carrying out the investigation for more than a year in more than a hundred complaints aimed at physical violence, sexual assault and rape that would have been committed at the College-Lycée Notre-Dame-de-Bétharram between the 1970s and 1990. The head of government, from the region, has educated several of his children in this institution and his wife taught catechism there. But he says he was never aware of such accusations, affirming to the Parisian In March 2024 that “the rumor, 25 years ago, suggested that there had been slaps at the boarding school”, adding that he never heard […] sexual risk “.
Last week, a survey of Mediapartcorroborated by testimonies to AFP, however said that the Prime Minister had knowledge in the late 1990s of accusations of sexual assault. In April 1996, when François Bayrou was Minister of National Education (between 1993 and 1997), a complaint had already denounced the physical violence of a Betharram supervisor on a child in the class of one of his sons, then sentenced. Then in May 1998, when François Bayrou had become deputy for the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and president of the General Council, a former director of the institution had been indicted and implemented for rape.
According to newspapers The world And The Pyrenees Republicthe current Prime Minister also met in 1998 the judge responsible for instructing the rape file in Notre-Dame-de-Bétharram. This former magistrate claims that they had mentioned the case and said to Mediapart Not understanding why François Bayrou “denies today”.
In an article published this Tuesday evening, Mediapart reiterated his accusations of lies, notably by revealing a letter from a former student, recognized victim by the Recognition and Repair Commission (CRR), which accompanies the abused in Catholic congregations. Addressed with acknowledgment of receipt in March 2024 to François Bayrou at the town hall of Pau, the missive, who recounts acts of touching suffered in the late 1950s by this former resident of Betharram, remained unanswered according to Mediapart.
How François Bayrou justified himself
“I reject the artificial controversies on this subject,” said the Prime Minister this Wednesday during the session of questions in the government in the National Assembly. François Bayrou assures that “when the first complaint is filed”, according to him “in December 1997”, he “left the Ministry of National Education for months”, and that he would not have educated his children in An establishment targeted by “such suspicions”. “I have never been warned at that time, […] Facts that have given rise to complaints or reports, “said the head of government.
Already arrested this Tuesday in the National Assembly, François Bayrou had assured that he had “never been informed” in the past of these attacks. “Do you think we would have educated our children in establishments” where we would have “suspected or said that things are happening of this order?” Added the head of government. Before continuing in a more offensive tone: “As soon as someone occupies responsibilities, we strive to invent scandals from scratch. […] If we do not answer and we are silent, we are guilty. And if we answer and denied, we are immediately charged. “I can assure you that everything is false and that a defamation complaint will obviously be carried,” he had concluded this Tuesday, without specifying who was targeted.
The strong criticisms of the left
François Bayrou has been under the fire of criticisms of the left since the start of the week, which accuses him of having lied and not having acted to protect the victims of the College-Lycée Notre-Dame-de-Bétharram. Questioned in the Assembly this Tuesday on this subject, the head of government had notably expressed his “sympathy” for “people, men or boys, who were suffering in these cases”. A formulation which aroused the ire of the socialist deputies who judged in a press release that “never pronouncing the word ‘victims’ for the persons concerned”, François Bayrou “showed an unacceptable lightness”, given “The severity of these facts” which took place for almost 60 years. This answer is “not up to the severity of the facts or the suffering of the victims”, insisted the boss of PS Olivier Faure on X.
This Wednesday, the deputy for rebellious France Paul Vannier said that the Prime Minister had “lied to the national performance. […]”Are you going […] Assuming all the consequences and presenting your resignation? “Asked the deputy for the Val d’Oise, citing the new documents published by Mediapart. A request made after him by the environmental deputy Arnaud Bonnet, who asked him for” clear answers “Or if not to resign.
“Your silence indicates that omerta reigns at the top of the state. He directly commits the President of the Republic, solely responsible for maintaining Matignon,” added Paul Vannier. And “he gives deputies an immense responsibility when voting or not voting your censorship” this Wednesday on the social security budget, even if the motion, which is not supported by the PS, is a little chance to be adopted.