A Paris court has found 10 people guilty of cyberbullying Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, in a case centered on online harassment, misinformation and conspiracy theories targeting her gender and sexuality.
The defendants, eight men and two women, were convicted of posting false claims and “malicious remarks” online, including assertions about Macron’s gender identity and repeated insults focused on the 24-year age difference between her and the president. The court said the group acted with a clear intent to cause harm, describing their comments as degrading and insulting.
Most of the defendants received suspended prison sentences of up to eight months. One defendant was immediately jailed after failing to appear in court. Several were also ordered to have their social media accounts suspended as part of the ruling.
Brigitte Macron’s attorney, Jean Ennochi, said the court’s emphasis on prevention measures and account suspensions was especially significant. “The most important things are the prevention courses and the suspension of some of the accounts,” he told Agence France-Presse after the verdict.
The case highlights how gender-based disinformation and harassment can escalate online, particularly when public figures are targeted. False claims about the French first lady’s gender have circulated for years, fueled by conspiracy theories that gained traction on social media platforms.
Two of the defendants, self-described independent journalist Natacha Rey and online fortune-teller Amandine Roy, were previously convicted of slander in 2024 after claiming Brigitte Macron did not exist and alleging that her brother had transitioned and taken her identity. That conviction was later overturned on appeal, with the court ruling that asserting someone had changed gender did not automatically constitute an attack on their honor. The Macrons have since appealed that decision to France’s highest court.
During the trial, Macron’s daughter from a previous marriage, Tiphaine Auzière, testified about the personal toll the harassment has taken on her mother and family. She said the online abuse affected Macron’s health and daily life, forcing her to be constantly aware of how her appearance and posture might be scrutinized or misused to fuel conspiracy narratives.
Auzière added that while her mother has learned to live with the harassment, the impact on her grandchildren has been especially painful, noting they were teased at school because of the rumors.
Monday’s ruling comes as the Macrons prepare for a larger legal battle in the United States. The couple has filed a defamation lawsuit against right-wing influencer Candace Owens, alleging she promoted and amplified false claims about Brigitte Macron’s gender while ignoring evidence disproving them. According to the lawsuit, Owens repeatedly shared the conspiracy theories on her podcast and social media platforms and publicly claimed she would stake her professional reputation on them.
Initially, the Macrons were advised to ignore the rumors to avoid amplifying them. However, they later decided the scale and persistence of the attacks made silence impossible. Despite the risks of increased scrutiny and exposure, the couple chose to pursue legal action as a way to push back against coordinated online harassment.
