François Bayrou speaks out after meeting victims in the Bétharram case and announces measures to advance the investigation

As announced by H24 MEDIA this Saturday, February 15, 2025, François Bayrou met with several victims of physical and sexual violence that took place at the private Catholic institution, Notre-Dame-de-Bétharram, at the Pau town hall. Following this meeting, he expressed his deep emotion and commitment in the face of what he called “intolerable and appalling violence,” emphasizing the importance of acknowledging and punishing these acts.

The Prime Minister reiterated that, as Minister of National Education in 1996, he had “done everything he was supposed to do” after learning that a complaint for violence had been filed. He had ordered a general inspection of the institution, which resulted in a “reassuring” report. However, he clarified that he had not been informed of the serious allegations raised by some of the plaintiffs and stressed that he had been “unaware” of the abuse at the time.

Strengthened measures to continue the investigation and support victims

Following requests from the victims’ association, François Bayrou announced the allocation of “additional resources” to ensure that the 112 complaints filed are thoroughly examined. He stated that he would ask the Ministry of Justice to assign additional judges to carry out this investigation, stressing that it was crucial to “see justice punish the perpetrators.”

The Prime Minister also discussed several proposals put forward by the victims’ association, including the creation of a compensation fund for victims of physical and sexual abuse, raising awareness among children, and conducting random inspections in boarding schools. Furthermore, he emphasized the need for psychological support for victims and stronger sanctions for failing to report abuse.

The mayor of Pau added that responsibilities could be extended not only to the clergy but also to laypersons involved, and that a mechanism would be put in place to ensure better care for the victims.

An essential dialogue with the victims

At the end of this meeting, the victims’ spokesperson, Alain Esquerre, described it as a “historic day” and an “immense victory” for the plaintiffs. The victims praised the Prime Minister’s attentiveness and expressed their gratitude for his support in their pursuit of justice.

Under intense criticism, particularly from Médiapart, François Bayrou has faced accusations of concealing his knowledge of the abuse. The former investigating judge in charge of the case claimed to have met with the minister in 1998 to inform him of the serious facts, but Bayrou repeated that he had not been aware of the full extent of the abuse at the time.

The investigation continues, with the Pau public prosecutor’s office currently examining over a hundred complaints in this case, which concerns abuse that took place between the 1950s and 1990s.