The former Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, admitted the 'failure' of institutions regarding sexual violence. Hidalgo, who led the capital for 12 years, and the new socialist President of the City Council, Emmanuel Grégoire, have become subjects of criminal investigations following complaints from several families, particularly concerning the lack of assistance to people in danger.
Since the beginning of 2026, the City Council has suspended the activities of 132 animators, 52 of whom were dismissed on suspicion of sexual or sexist violence. Emmanuel Grégoire described this phenomenon as 'systemic' and launched a €20 million plan against sexual violence within extracurricular support in April.
More than 200 investigations are underway in primary schools and nurseries across the capital targeting staff members of these institutions. Hidalgo stated to the Senate information commission that 'if we are here before you today, it is because our institutions, the Paris Mayor's Office, local authorities, National Education, the police, justice [...] have failed to protect our children.'
During her two terms, she claimed to have been 'always extremely involved,' implementing 'response processes and continuous network strengthening that remain too open.' Acknowledging a 'collective failure,' the former mayor called for institutional 'cooperation' and insisted on the need for mayors to have a 'Prosecutor's Office nearby,' especially for better communication with families and preventing a 'feeling of abandonment.'
Nevertheless, Hidalgo admitted that 'dysfunctions occurred within the Mayor's structure, information chains that did not work.' As early as 2015, a report from the Mayor's Chief Inspectorate, which she requested, warned of this and contained 50 recommendations, half of which were not implemented.
Hidalgo again expressed 'regret' for not meeting with victims' families at the outbreak of the scandal in the spring of 2025. She stated: 'There are no excuses, I am not looking for any; I should have done it.'
Meanwhile, Paris councilor Inès de Ragunel of the 'Republicans' party (right wing) criticized Anne Hidalgo, stating that 'Anne Hidalgo is incapable of offering any excuse; she continues her line of denial that she has been expressing in the Paris Council for 10 years.'
On the 10th of this month, the Paris Prosecutor's Office announced the opening of investigations against the city mayor and her predecessor based on reports of inaction in combating sexual violence against children in school environments. Prosecutor Laure Bécquaud told the radio station France Inter that 'reports were received, and investigations were opened,' noting that three complaints had been received so far against the municipal administration or local authorities.
The latest complaint was filed on the 4th of this month when about 15 families who reported violence and sexual violence against children filed a lawsuit against the Municipality of Paris, Grégoire, and Hidalgo. These families, united under the banner of the 'MeTooEcole' collective, demand that justice investigate what these authorities knew about failures in extracurricular activities. The charges relate to crimes of intentional endangerment, failure to assist people in danger, and failure to report crimes committed against children, some of whom were between the ages of 2 and 4.