French prime minister Bayrou is exposed to parliamentary barbecues over the abuse scandal of the Catholic school

The French Prime Minister François Bayrou faces one of the politically sensitive tests of his five -month term when he appears in front of a parliamentary committee on Wednesday to answer questions related to decades of sexual and physical abuse at a Catholic school in southwestern France.

The investigation focuses on whether Bayrou, who acted from 1993 to 1997 as Minister of France, had knowledge of the abuses, according to reports at the Notre-Dame de Betharram school in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and whether he was not acting.

The 73-year-old centrist guide, who was appointed Prime Minister in December in December, denied any misconduct and described the accusations as part of a “destructive campaign”. Before the hearing, Bayrou insisted that the meeting would “prove the opportunity to prove that all of this is wrong”.

Bayrous's appearance comes to a critical moment for his primeership. His credibility has commissioned a stabilizing figure in recent weeks to lead France out of a longer political crisis. A recent survey showed that his approval rate had dropped to 27%and had dropped under Macron for the first time.

Although he previously survived voices in a shared parliament, the Betharam affair could ignite the opposition mood and hand over its critics. Political analysts warn that the scandal may not overthrow Bayrou, but a misstep during the hearing could trigger a broader political failure.

“The Betharam case may not be sufficient to put it down, but it could enable both its parliamentary enemies and his troubled allies to act,” said the group of political risk advice in Eurasia and also pointed out the increasing dissatisfaction with the deteriorating fiscal outlets in France.

Due to Bayrous, the examination takes a more personal turn to school due to Bayrous. Some of his children visited Betharam and his wife taught religious studies there. Insensively, his own daughter has publicly refuted the aspects of his account.

In April, Hélène Perlant, Bayrous's eldest daughter, members of the clergymen at the school of systemic abuse, and claimed that she was beaten by a priest during a summer camp when she was only 14 years old.

However, the increasing certificates – including the other victims and local officials – have chosen doubts about whether Bayrou, who a prominent figure in Pau in which the school is located, could not know for a long time.

Although Bayrou is not examined personally, the committee's mandate is to investigate systemic failures by the state in preventing abuse in schools. Since the beginning of 2023, more than 200 legal complaints have been submitted that extended alleged incidents between 1957 and 2004.

The commission led by the legislators Paul Vannier and violet spill bout has already heard of victims, spiritual and former educational officials. The final report is expected at the end of June.

Some opposition legislators, especially from the greens, have gone so far to accuse Bayrou of Meineid, and demand his resignation. Even within the socialist camp that Bayrou previously helped to survive the legislative challenges, voices become skeptical.

“If he lies in front of the parliament, he is politically dead,” said a high -ranking ally of Macron anonymously.

Survivors and representative groups say that the scandal has left lifelong scars. “The state did not protect Betharram's children,” said Alain Esquerre, who represents a collective of a former student. Several former boarders told how priests visited the dormitories of boys at night.

One parent of a survivor bluntly accused Bayrou of preserving his political career.

While the hearing unfolds, all eyes lie in France's political sphere on Bayrou – a man who views many as a symbol of centric stability and now enter a political tightrope walk under the shadow of a historical scandal.