L’incident, filmed, had caused a stingy noise During the 2002 presidential campaign. He also crossed the years. François Bayrou, then UDF candidate, had slapped a young boy who was trying to pocket him. This was happening in the Meinau’s famous district in Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin).
While an annex to the town hall had just been stammered, the Béarnais had gone to meet around twenty young people to discuss. François Bayrou slaps an 11-year-old child saying “You don’t make my pockets,” he writes. Before hammering, faced with the young boy’s denials: “Yes, you made my pockets”.
The moment is captured by the television cameras of France Television, which followed the campaign trip. Later, the native of Béarn will justify himself indicating that his gesture was that of a “father (…) without gravity”.
An “educational conception of slap”
After more than two hours of a particularly tense hearing in the National Assembly on the Betharram case, The Prime Minister was interviewed by the rebellious deputy Paul Vannier, a co -rapporteur of this commission of inquiry, on this 2002 incident.
“I would like to ask you about your relationship to violence against children,” started Paul Vannier, evoking in his question an “educational conception of the slap” which François Bayrou would seem “still borrowed today”. “What you say is anything,” replied the Prime Minister.
The Town Hall of Strasbourg had been “stoned by a small group of Islamist activists” because it had, “a few years earlier, prohibited the school veil”, in reference to a circular taken as Minister of Education in 1994, explained François Bayrou.
The Town Hall of Strasbourg had been “stoned by a small group of Islamist activists” because it had, “a few years earlier, prohibited the school veil”, in reference to a circular taken as Minister of Education in 1994, explained François Bayrou.
“At that time, this small group begins to eruct against the mayor of Strasbourg by pro
pos of a sexist indecency as I have not supported them. So I went down and I faced this small group saying: When I’m here, we don’t talk like that to a woman like that. And there was a little heckled moment ”.
“Not something brutal. I gave him a tape ”
“I found the hand of a little boy who was taking my wallet out of my pocket and I gave him a tape. Not a slap, I mean not … not … not a slap. Not something brutal. I gave him a tape, ”added François Bayrou.
“It was not at all a violent slap, it was a flashy of a father. And if someone here thinks that he has never gave a tap to a child, I believe that many, if they are honest, will be able to admit that they have done so. ” “For me, it is not violence” but “an educational gesture,” insisted the Prime Minister.
“There are therefore educational tesses and non -violent slaps for you. I believe that these are important elements that will accompany us in the rest of this hearing, ”replied Paul Vannier.
“Sir, always the same method. You try to rephrase each time, to scandalously reformulate what you are told, “prevailing the mayor of Pau before a brief hearing suspension.
