French PM strikes defiant note to the child abuse scandal

The French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou met a defiant tone in parliament on Wednesday when he insisted during a tense hearing that he only knew about sexual abuse in a Catholic school from media reports.

The 73-year-old politician was in office one of the delicate moments of his five months when he answered questions on questions of a committee who examined claims for sexual abuse at a Catholic school.

Bayrou was claimed against opposition that, as Minister of Education, between 1993 and 1997, he knew over many decades over many decades of widespread physical and sexual abuse on the Notre-Dame de Betharram School in southwestern France.

But on Wednesday he adhered to his previous statements and said that during his time as Minister of Education, he “received no other information other than the one reported in the press.

“I had nothing to hide,” he said.

He signaled his wish to work together, and said the investigation of what he called “Metoo for Children”, finally took place.

“This hearing is very important for me. It is very important for the boys and girls who have been victims of violence, especially sexual violence for decades,” he added.

However, the tensions were fully equipped when the two co-report of the Commission, Paul Vannier and violet Spillbout, Bayrou about what he knew about alleged violence, sexual assault and rape, knew at school in the area of ​​the southwestern city of Pau, where Bayrou had been celebrated at school near the southwestern city of Pau since 2014.

During the hearing, Bayrou Vannier, a legislator of the hard left-wing France party (LFI), to try a “scandal) to” refuel a scandal “.

The French Prime Minister also said that he did not feel that the Commission was “completely objective”.

Some Bayrous children attended school and his wife taught religious studies there.

Bayrou has repeatedly rejected any misconduct and impressed what he describes as “destruction” against him.

– 'I have confidence in him' – –

Center Bayrou, the sixth prime minister of President Emmanuel Macron's mandate, was appointed by the government manager last December. He has received the discouraging task to get France out of a political crisis.

So far, Bayrou has managed to survive a non-confidence in a shared parliament, but the Betharam affair has damaged its credibility and its approval rate has decreased in the past few weeks.

According to a survey that was published last week, Bayrous Popularity -rating has dropped among Macron, with only 27 percent of the French agree.

Analysts said Bayrou could continue to be under pressure depending on its performance during the hearing.

“The school scandal in Betharram may not be sufficient to put down Bayrou, but encourage its parliamentary enemies and supposed friends to draw the government for other reasons,” said the Eurasia group.

“There are reasons for dissatisfaction in abundance,” added political risk advice on the budget crisis in France.

Macron threw his support behind the competitive prime minister.

“We talked a lot about it and I know that I have confidence in him,” he said on Tuesday evening to TF1 Television and referred to the Betharram affair.

Bayrous statements have been refuted by a number of people, including his own daughter.

In April, Bayrous accused the clergyman who led the school of systemic abuse, and said a priest beat her in the summer camp when she was 14 years old.

Helene Perlant, who is now 53 years old and uses her mother's name, said that her father knew nothing about the incident.

– 'If he lies, he is dead' – –

Only a few in Bayrous's team believe that he is put down over the scandal.

But “if he lies in front of the parliament, he is dead,” said a supporter of Macron and asked not to be named.

A Bayrou employee emphasized that the prime minister was not the subject of the investigation.

The investigation focuses on “the methods used by the state to monitor and prevent violence in schools”.

After hearing witnesses, the two rapporteurs plan to deliver their conclusions in June.

Around 200 legal complaints have been submitted since February last year, in which priests and employees were accused of physical or sexual abuse from 1957 to 2004.

Some of the boarders said she had drawn experience for life and told how some priests visited boys at night.

“The state failed and did not protect the children of Betharram,” said Alain Esquerre, who is a collective of the school -survivors.

Bur-Ares-As/EKF/PHZ