A Paris court has found ten individuals guilty of cyberbullying Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, over false claims concerning her gender, sexuality, and personal life.
The defendants were convicted for spreading baseless conspiracy theories alleging that France’s First Lady is transgender, as well as for making malicious and defamatory remarks about the 24-year age difference between her and the president.
The court handed down suspended prison sentences of up to eight months, according to French media reports. The full judgment is yet to be released.
The conspiracy theory targeting Brigitte Macron has circulated online since Emmanuel Macron first won the French presidency in 2017, gaining traction among far-right and extremist online communities despite repeated denials and lack of evidence.
Monday’s ruling comes amid a broader legal push by the Macron family to combat misinformation. The French first couple is currently pursuing a defamation lawsuit in the United States against American right-wing influencer Candace Owens, whom they accuse of amplifying the false claims.
In court filings, the Macrons alleged that Owens ignored credible evidence disproving the allegations, instead choosing to promote content from known conspiracy theorists and defamers.
Owens has repeatedly echoed the claims on her podcast and across social media platforms. In March 2024, she publicly declared that she would stake her “entire professional reputation” on her assertion that Brigitte Macron “is in fact a man.”
Brigitte Macron first met Emmanuel Macron when she was a teacher at his secondary school. The couple married in 2007, when Macron was 29 and she was in her mid-50s.
French authorities say the ruling underscores growing efforts to hold individuals accountable for online harassment, disinformation, and gender-based abuse, particularly when such campaigns target public figures and their families.