Ten people are set to stand trial in Paris over allegations of cyberbullying France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron.
The defendants are accused of posting “numerous malicious comments” online, including spreading long-running conspiracy theories about her gender and sexuality. The two-day hearing marks a major step in the Macrons’ ongoing legal battle against the spread of false information online.
According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, the eight women and two men—aged between 41 and 60—are accused of circulating malicious content about Mrs Macron.
Among the claims were false allegations that she was born a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux, as well as comments about the 24-year age gap with President Emmanuel Macron, which some defendants allegedly described as “paedophilia.”
Those on trial come from a range of backgrounds, including a self-proclaimed medium, an advertising executive whose X account has since been suspended, an elected official, a teacher, and a computer scientist. Several were highly active on social media, with some of their posts attracting tens of thousands of views.
The conspiracy theories have followed the Macrons for years and resurfaced recently after being amplified online by U.S. conservative influencer Candace Owens.
This case follows a previous legal battle in September 2024, when Brigitte Macron and her brother, Jean-Michel Trogneux, won a defamation lawsuit against two women fined for spreading the same false claims. However, a Paris appeals court later overturned that decision in July, prompting the couple to take the matter to France’s highest court.
The Macrons, married since 2007, first met when Emmanuel Macron was a student and Brigitte was a married teacher with three children. Now 47, President Macron has been in office since 2017. A verdict in the ongoing trial will be announced at a later date.
