A Parisian judicial court has delivered a landmark verdict, finding ten individuals guilty of orchestrating a coordinated online harassment campaign against Brigitte Macron, the First Lady of France. The defendants faced charges related to the malicious dissemination of fabricated claims questioning Mrs. Macron’s gender identity and sexuality, alongside perpetrating derogatory commentary concerning the 24-year age difference between her and President Emmanuel Macron.
The court’s ruling, which awaits full publication, resulted in predominantly suspended prison sentences, with most convicts receiving terms of up to eight months. One defendant received an immediate custodial sentence due to failure to appear in court. This case highlights a persistent conspiracy theory, which has circulated online since President Macron’s initial election in 2017, falsely alleging the First Lady is transgender.
This domestic legal action coincides with a separate, ongoing defamation lawsuit filed by the Macron family in the United States. The suit targets right-wing media personality Candace Owens, who has repeatedly platformed and endorsed the same baseless theories. The Macrons’ legal complaint asserts that Owens deliberately ignored overwhelming credible evidence refuting the claims, choosing instead to amplify known conspiracy theorists.
In a bold declaration on her podcast and social media platforms in March 2024, Owens staked her “entire professional reputation” on the veracity of the false allegation. The personal history of the Macron couple is well-documented; they first met when Brigitte was a teacher at Emmanuel’s secondary school. They later married in 2007, when he was 29 and she was 54.