French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou appeared before a parliamentary committee on Wednesday evening, where he testified under oath that he was aware of alleged abuses that took place over several decades at a Catholic school in the southwestern French town of Lestelle-Bétharram.
The Notre-Dame-de-Bétharram Catholic school for boys was founded in 1837. This prestigious educational institution is renowned for the high standard of its teaching, which is why wealthy parents and politicians in the region are keen to send their children there. At the same time, it is known for its harsh conditions and the strict attitude of teachers and other staff towards students.
However, there are suspicions that some members of the teaching staff crossed the line, turning strictness into physical and even sexual abuse. Such practices are suspected to have been carried out for several decades.
In October 2023, one of the school’s former students, Alain Esquerre, created a social media group for victims of violence among former students of Notre-Dame-de-Bétharram.
Soon, followers began to join. Many of them believed that the bullying they had experienced during their studies were isolated incidents that had happened only to them, and had remained silent until now.
At present, around 200 complaints have been filed with the police by former students of the school. They describe systematic beatings, including gang beatings, initiated by members of the teaching staff, and practices of punishment: leaving students outside at night in sub-zero temperatures with virtually no clothing, solitary confinement without food or water for several days, and so on.
Bayrou’s involvement in the Catholic school case
Bayrou is accused of knowing about the acts of violence committed at the school in 1998, when he was Minister of Education and President of the General Council of the Atlantic Pyrenees department.
The investigation will also reportedly question other current and former ministers, including Pap Ndiaye, Elisabeth Borne, Gérald Darmanin, Jean-Michel Blanquer, Nicole Belloubet and Ségolène Royal.
One of the witnesses, a former police officer, testified under oath on Thursday, repeating that the judge had told him about Francois Bayrou’s “interference” when he was investigating the rape committed by a clergyman.
Three people have been charged in the case, including the head of the educational institution, priest Pierre Sylvie-Carricard. According to the investigation, five children were victims of his actions. Bayrou then visited Sylvie-Carricard, who was in custody, and expressed doubts about his guilt. Eight days after being taken into custody, the priest was released and fled to the Vatican, where he committed suicide in 2000.
Bairou, whose children were studying at the same school at the time and whose wife taught theology there, denies any involvement in the case. However, the judge investigating the case said he had discussed it repeatedly with the current head of government.
The crimes, which began in the 1950s, came to light in 2024 when an investigation was launched after hundreds of complaints from victims. The investigation is looking into crimes that took place at the school in the 1970s and 1990s.
Bayrou’s reputation
The Bétharram affair has dealt a serious blow to Bayrou’s authority. Although he has survived several votes of no confidence in a divided parliament, his approval rating has been falling steadily in recent weeks. According to a recent YouGov poll, nearly 7 out of 10 French people believe that the prime minister should resign if it is established that he knew about the case at the time.
A parliamentary commission is due to present its findings by the end of June.
