The trial against two women who made false claims that France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron is transgender, has begun.
In 2022, Brigitte Macron filed a complaint for libel against two women who posted a YouTube video in December 2021 alleging she had once been a man named “Jean-Michel”. The claim went viral just weeks before the 2022 presidential election.
Amandine Roy, a self-proclaimed spiritual medium, appeared in court in Paris on Wednesday to address questions concerning her interview with Natacha Rey, an independent journalist who was absent due to illness.
During the four-hour interview on Roy’s YouTube channel, Rey discussed what she described as the “state lie” and “scam” she had uncovered.
Roy explained that Rey was enthusiastic about sharing her findings, and Roy had simply facilitated her request.
Regarding the credibility of Rey’s claims, Roy underscored that Rey had spent three years conducting research and had not fabricated the information. Roy expressed regret that Rey’s findings had not been picked up and investigated by mainstream media, highlighting the seriousness of the subject matter that she could not ignore.
Neither the 46-year-old president nor the 71-year-old first lady attended court.
Social media messages multiplied, asserting that the first lady, formerly Brigitte Trogneux, had never existed and that her brother Jean-Michel had changed gender and assumed her identity.
These false claims also sparked more serious accusations of child abuse against France’s first lady.
“The prejudice is enormous, it spread everywhere,” stated Brigitte Macron’s lawyer, Jean Ennochi.
He requested 10,000 euros ($10,750) in compensation for each of Brigitte Macron and her brother.
