Former mayor of Paris admits “failure” of institutions in sexual abuse

A front of the capital for 12 years, Hidalgo is targeted, like the new socialist mayor, Emmanuel Grégoire, for criminal investigations following the complaints of several families, notably for lack of assistance to the person in danger.

Since the beginning of 2026, 132 animators have been suspended by the House, 52 of which for suspected sexual or sexist violence, a number that translates a “systemic” character, according to Emmanuel Grégoire, who launched in April a plan of EUR 20 million against sexual violence in extracurricular support.

In the criminal sphere, more than 200 investigations are under way in the primary schools and day care centers of the capital, targeting employees of these establishments.

“ If we are here before you today, it is because our institutions, the House of Paris, local authorities, National Education, police, justice [...] have failed to protect our children,” Hidalgo said on the Senate information committee on the treatment and prevention of school violence in extracurricular support in France.

During his two mandates, he defended, he was “always extremely involved”, implementing “processes to react and continually tighten the meshes of the network, which are still very open”.

Evoking a “collective failure”, the former mayor appealed to the institutions to “cooperate” and insisted on the need for the mayors “to have the prosecutor at their side”, namely to communicate better with families and avoid a “feeling of abandonment”.

Hidalgo acknowledged, however, that within the Chamber “there were dysfunctions, chains of information that did not work”.

Already in 2015, a report from the General Inspection of the House that he had requested had given the alert and issued 50 recommendations, half of which were not implemented.

Hidalgo again expressed “repentance” for not meeting with the families of the victims at the time the scandal broke out in the spring of 2025.

“ There are no excuses, I do not seek any, I should have done it ", he said.

“Anne Hidalgo is unable to make the slightest excuse, continues in line with her denialism expressed at the Paris Council 10 years ago,” she criticized in Europe 1 Inès de Raguenel, Parisian party adviser The Republicans (right) presiding over an inter-party information and evaluation mission to which the former mayor should explain herself on October 9.

On 10 this month, the Paris Attorney's Office announced the opening of investigations against the mayor of the city and the predecessor, following inaction complaints in the fight against sexual violence against children in the school environment.

“ The complaints were received and the investigations were opened”, aiming at Emmanuel Grégoire and Anne Hidalgo declared prosecutor Laure Beccuau to radio France Inter, stressing that three complaints have been received so far against the municipal administration or local authorities.

The most recent occurred on 04 this month, when about 15 families, who reported violence and sexual abuse against their children, announced having filed a complaint against the City Council of Paris, Grégoire and Hidalgo.

Gathered around the collective “MeTooEcole”, these families ask justice to investigate what these authorities knew about the failures in extracurricular activities.

The prosecution referred to crimes of deliberate exposure to danger, omission of assistance to persons in danger and the lack of reporting of crimes committed against children, some between the ages of 02 and 04.