Daughter of French prime minister accuses clergy of abuse at Betharram school

Abuse claims from PM’s daughter deepen scandal over Betharram clergy violence.

Red paint body imprints are seen on a wall after activists from the feminist group Femen staged a demonstration at the entrance of the "Le beau rameau" Catholic school complex, formerly known as Notre-Dame de Betharram, in Lestelle-Betharram, southwestern France, to denounce alleged rape and sexual assault, on February 28, 2025. Photo by Gaizka Iroz/AFP

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

The ongoing Betharram clergy abuse scandal deepened on Wednesday after Hélène Perlant, the daughter of French Prime Minister François Bayrou, publicly alleged that she was violently assaulted by a priest during a summer camp when she was 14 years old. The incident reportedly took place in the early 1980s, at a time when Bayrou held local office near the Notre-Dame de Betharram school in the Pyrenees.

Perlant, now 53 and using her mother’s surname, gave a harrowing account of the abuse in a newly published interview with Paris Match, further entrenching the public scandal that has engulfed both the Catholic institution and the political stature of her father. She stated clearly that her father was not aware of the incident, although her testimony raises broader questions about how much the prominent politician knew about the troubling conditions at the school, particularly during his time as education minister and local official.

Physical abuse and a culture of silence

According to Perlant, the abuse occurred during a summer camp organized by the school, which was heavily run by members of the clergy. The accused, identified in her account as Father Lartiguet, allegedly attacked her in front of her peers without warning.

“One night while we were unpacking our sleeping bags, Father Lartiguet suddenly grabbed me by the hair, dragged me across the floor, then beat me—punches, kicks, especially in the stomach,” she said. “I wet myself and spent the entire night curled up, damp and afraid, in my sleeping bag.”

Despite the severity of the violence, Perlant described continuing on with the camp's schedule the next day, including a hike, determined not to appear broken before her abuser. The priest, she said, had taunted her by calling her “rude like your father.”

Her emotional interview painted a picture of the school as a deeply toxic environment where both teachers and students were subjected to psychological manipulation. “Betharram was organised like a sect or a totalitarian regime,” she said, alleging that a culture of silence was enforced through constant pressure and intimidation.

Legacy of abuse: hundreds of complaints filed

The Betharram clergy abuse case has been developing since February of the previous year, when allegations spanning nearly five decades began to surface. An association of victims has since tallied around 200 formal complaints, ranging from physical violence to sexual assault.

Among these, 90 involve claims of sexual abuse, including particularly grave allegations of gang rape by two priests. Despite the breadth of the accusations, only two have resulted in formal charges due to most cases falling outside the legal statute of limitations.

One of the charged individuals is a former school supervisor, now facing accusations of sexual assault on a minor in 2004 and the rape of another between 1991 and 1994. The rest of the cases remain unprosecuted, which has drawn criticism from victims' advocates and legal observers.

Bayrou under pressure amid growing scrutiny

Bayrou, whose political standing is now increasingly at risk, has denied knowing about any abuse at the school. Yet, questions continue to swirl about his role and responsibilities—particularly as someone whose family was closely embedded in the Betharram community.

Several of Bayrou’s children were enrolled at the school, and his wife was reportedly a religious studies teacher there. While Perlant insists her father was unaware of her personal ordeal, she also admits that her long silence may have been motivated by an unconscious desire to protect him politically.

“Perhaps unconsciously I wanted to shield my father from political blows he was receiving locally,” she said. “He does not know I am a victim.”

Bayrou is now scheduled to appear before a parliamentary inquiry on May 14, where he will be questioned about the growing body of allegations surrounding the institution and his potential knowledge or inaction in response to them.

Systemic failures and the legacy of religious authority

The Betharram clergy abuse scandal highlights a recurring problem within many religious institutions where systemic violence goes unchecked for decades. Victims of Betharram describe a pattern of psychological control and abuse not just from isolated individuals, but as a coordinated environment fostered by both clergy and school administrators.

For many survivors, justice remains elusive—not just because of the statute of limitations, but because of the silence that enshrouded the institution for so long. Perlant’s decision to come forward has been seen by some as a turning point in the public reckoning with Betharram’s past.

However, it has also complicated the narrative for France’s prime minister, whose name is now deeply entangled in one of the country’s most damning school abuse scandals.

Political fallout and public accountability

Though Bayrou continues to deny having known of any specific cases of abuse, the revelations—particularly those involving his own family—are likely to haunt his tenure in government. Public trust in his leadership is already under strain, and his testimony in the upcoming parliamentary session may well shape the next phase of the investigation.

Critics argue that political figures who were tied to institutions like Betharram—whether directly or indirectly—should be held to account for what transpired under their watch. As more victims speak out and more stories emerge, pressure is mounting on France’s political elite and the Catholic hierarchy to reckon with a decades-long legacy of trauma.

The coming weeks could prove pivotal—not only for Bayrou’s political future, but for the broader movement demanding justice for those affected by the Betharram clergy abuse.