Aurore Bergé Under Judicial Investigation for Perjury

The Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR) has opened a judicial investigation against Aurore Bergé, the current Minister Delegate for Gender Equality, on Friday, January 31. This procedure follows a report from the Bureau of the National Assembly last October, after statements made under oath before a parliamentary inquiry commission on private nurseries.

A Possible Conflict of Interest

The case dates back to November 2023, when several left-wing deputies accused Aurore Bergé of lying before the commission by denying any personal connection with Elsa Hervy, the delegate of the French Federation of Private Nursery Companies. However, according to journalist Victor Castanet, author of Les Ogres, text message exchanges would prove the existence of a “non-aggression pact” between the two women. His book sheds light on controversial practices within private nurseries, including shortcomings in child care and difficult working conditions for employees.

This controversy arises in an already tense climate surrounding the private nursery sector, which has been accused of financial abuses and cases of mistreatment. At the time, Aurore Bergé allegedly attempted to oppose the creation of an inquiry commission, favoring instead a “flash mission” with more limited powers. Eventually established, the commission revealed a sector “on the verge of collapse,” but some elected officials, particularly from La France Insoumise, argued that its report was too lenient toward private sector interests.

In response to the accusations, the former Minister of Solidarity and Families reaffirmed her commitment to strengthening oversight in the sector and announced in October 2024 that she would file a defamation lawsuit against Victor Castanet. Her lawyer, Jade Dousselin, stated that her client “will, of course, respond to all requests from the Court of Justice of the Republic.”