False Testimony Allegation: Justice Drops Case Against Minister Aurore Bergé

Paris – 02.07.2026: The judiciary has discontinued the investigation against the French minister Aurore Bergé. The allegation that she gave false testimony under oath on 30 April 2024 before the parliamentary inquiry commission into the business model of private nurseries could not be substantiated after a review of the files. The competent court thus followed a request by the public prosecutor’s office, which had already advocated a non-prosecution at the end of May 2026.

The proceedings originated from a complaint filed after Bergé’s swearing-in before the National Assembly. She was accused of having misrepresented or concealed possible ties to Elsa Hervy, the delegate of the Fédération française des entreprises de crèches (FFEC). The office of the Assemblée nationale had formally forwarded the case to the judiciary to have the minister’s statements independently examined.

As part of the investigation, witness statements, communications data and other documents were examined. According to the prosecution, this review produced no evidence of a personal or friendly relationship that would render the earlier statement false. This removes the criminal basis for further action. A formal charge was never brought.

The affair attracted additional attention after the book “Les Ogres” by journalist Victor Castanet was published in October 2024 and raised new questions about the entanglement of politics and private nursery providers. Consequently, conflicts of interest, transparency obligations and lobbying rules returned to the political agenda. Opposition deputies at the time demanded thorough clarification, while supporters of the minister pointed to the ongoing investigations.

With the now announced non-prosecution, the case is closed. Politically, the decision is likely to stabilize Bergé’s position in the short term, but it does not change the fact that the regulation of private nurseries and the administration’s dealings with interest representatives will continue to be monitored. The inquiry commission had examined funding, oversight and quality standards in privately run facilities – topics that have gained importance given the high demand for childcare places and recurring problems in the sector.

For the government, the issue of transparency remains central: registers for interest representatives, documentation obligations at hearings and external actors’ access to legislative initiatives have long been under review. The end of the criminal proceedings against Aurore Bergé may close one legal thread but does not replace the political clarification of how contacts between ministries, associations and companies can be made more traceable in the future.