Bétharram: François Bayrou publishes a file aimed at contradicting the accusations against him

Prime Minister François Bayrou published on a dedicated website on Saturday all the documents he produced during his hearing at the National Assembly on the Betharram affair , stating that they prove the "inanity" of the accusations against him.

François Bayrou was questioned for more than five hours on May 14 by members of the commission of inquiry into violence in schools regarding the Notre-Dame-de-Bétharram establishment.

The head of government then vehemently rejected accusations of lying or intervention in the 1990s with the courts in the case of physical and sexual violence in this middle school, located near his town of Pau, where some of his children had been educated and where his wife taught catechism.

On the Bayrou.fr website, you can find the text of his opening statement before the commission of inquiry, a timeline of the case, and a series of documents that, according to him, refute six accusations against him. Among them: "François Bayrou lied to the National Assembly," "François Bayrou intervened with the courts," and "François Bayrou benefited from privileged information."

François Bayrou was already an influential politician in his home region of Béarn in the 1990s. He served as Minister of National Education from 1993 to 1997. The centrist leader believes he is the target of political attacks, particularly from members of parliament from La France Insoumise (LFI).

Following his tense hearing before the committee, the rebellious parliamentarian Paul Vannier stated that the debates had shown that François Bayrou had "lied" when he was questioned for the first time in February in the Assembly about his knowledge of the events committed in Bétharram.

The Catholic school, which operates under contract with the state, is now the target of more than 200 complaints from former students alleging physical and sexual violence.