French Prime Minister François Bayrou is under fire over allegations of sexual abuse at a Catholic school in Béarn, where his children studied and his wife taught.

Despite Bayrou's repeated denials of prior knowledge, witnesses and reports suggest he was aware of the accusations as early as the 1990s.

The school, Notre-Dame-de-Bétharram, has been under investigation for a year, with over 100 complaints of abuse spanning decades.

Critics, including Socialist MPs, accuse Bayrou of failing to address the victims and demand clarity.

Bayrou has announced a defamation lawsuit, maintaining his innocence and calling the claims baseless.

The controversy raises questions about accountability and transparency in leadership.