The director of a top French university, Mathias Vicherat from Paris’ Sciences Po, stepped down from his post Monday amid domestic violence allegations against him.
In a message addressed to all students, Vicherat “proposed” his “temporary withdrawal” from his duties to the president of the National Foundation of Political Science (FNSP).
“I proposed to […] Laurence Bertrand Dorléac to temporarily remove me from my duties according to the modalities, a timetable and a duration that it is up to her to define and that she will present to the various bodies this week,” he wrote.
Police detained Vicherat and his partner, Anissa Bonnefont, earlier this month after they each accused the other of domestic violence. Vicherat contested the allegations in Monday’s letter.
“I have never, under any circumstances, committed such acts. I would like to emphasize that at the end of our police custody, no complaint was filed, and no judicial oversight or removal order was issued,” he wrote.
The Paris prosecutor’s office previously said “neither of them has wished to file a complaint at this stage” and that “the investigation is continuing in the preliminary stage.”
Vicherat was appointed director of the elite establishment in November 2021. The school is a top training ground for French politicians and political officials.
Vicherat succeeded Frédéric Mion as director of Sciences Po, who was forced to resign after it emerged he had known for years about incest allegations against Olivier Duhamel, former president of the National Foundation for Political Science (and a former MEP).