Overview

• Prime Minister François Bayrou is testifying before a parliamentary committee investigating his alleged role in concealing abuse at the Catholic school Notre-Dame de Bétharram.
• Ex-judge Christian Mirande claims Bayrou misrepresented their past interactions regarding abuse allegations, accusing him of lying about his knowledge of the case.
• Bayrou’s daughter, Hélène Perlant, has publicly stated she was a victim of violence at the school and alleges her father urged her to stay silent after learning of the investigation.
• Over 200 complaints of physical and sexual abuse have been filed by survivors, though most cases are now barred by statutes of limitations.
• The inquiry seeks to determine what Bayrou knew, what he may have concealed, and whether his actions contributed to institutional silence surrounding the abuse.