François Bayrou Denies Involvement in Catholic School Sexual Assault Case
On Tuesday, February 18, François Bayrou appeared before the French National Assembly to deny any involvement in the investigation of alleged sexual assaults at a Catholic school in Béarn.
"I have never intervened, either directly or indirectly, with investigators or the judiciary in this case," Bayrou stated. "I knew nothing about this affair, and I was not involved in any way."
He emphasized that the integrity of the magistrate in charge of the case prevented him from sharing details of the investigation.
The Pau prosecutor’s office has been investigating the case for over a year, after receiving around 100 complaints of alleged violence, sexual assault, and rape at Collège-Lycée Notre-Dame de Bétharram in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region between the 1970s and 1990s.
Bayrou, who is from the region, sent several of his children to the institution, and his wife taught catechism there.
After facing pressure from the political left last week, Bayrou addressed the matter again before the assembly. He asserted that in 1998, the public prosecutor had "informed" the Ministry of Justice, then led by Elisabeth Guigou under the Socialist government of Lionel Jospin.
He found it inconceivable that the Minister of National Education, Claude Allègre, and the Minister of School Education, Ségolène Royal, at the time, would not have been "alerted" about such a significant report. "If I did not know, others knew," he insisted.
"What actions were taken following the public prosecutor’s notifications to initiate the protection measures for victims that you are recommending?" Bayrou asked in the Assembly. He defended his own actions, claiming that he had "requested an inspection" of the school while he was still minister in 1996.
Questioned about the measures that should be implemented to improve support for victims, Bayrou advocated for "improving early detection and prevention." He reassured victims that even if the acts that traumatized them have prescribed, they are not without recourse, explaining that "civil proceedings can provide compensation for the trauma."
"If you are seeking to assign responsibility and determine what happened in this case, you should not be asking questions to those who were not in positions of responsibility at the time, but rather to those who were," insisted Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin.
Allegations and Contradictions
The parents of victims have accused Bayrou of intervening with the investigators to delay or obstruct the investigation. Bayrou has vehemently denied these allegations, claiming that he was unaware of the accusations until they were made public in the media.
However, some witnesses have contradicted Bayrou’s account, stating that he was aware of the allegations as early as 1995. The prosecutor’s office has also confirmed that Bayrou contacted them in 2010 regarding the case, although the nature of their communication remains unclear.
Political Fallout
The allegations against Bayrou have cast a shadow over his political career. He is currently the leader of the centrist party, MoDem, and has been considered a potential presidential candidate in the upcoming 2022 election.
The controversy has damaged Bayrou’s reputation and raised questions about his integrity. It has also led to calls for his resignation as Justice Minister, which he has resisted.
Ongoing Investigation
The investigation into the alleged sexual assaults at the Catholic school is ongoing. The prosecutor’s office has conducted numerous interviews and gathered evidence, including witness testimony and documents. Several former students have come forward to share their experiences, providing valuable information to the investigation.
The outcome of the investigation is expected to shed light on the extent of the abuse that occurred and the potential involvement of individuals or institutions in covering it up. It could also lead to criminal charges against those responsible.
