Paris Court Sentences Ten for Online Harassment of Brigitte Macron

A Paris court has sentenced ten people for online harassment targeting Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, after they spread false and abusive claims about her personal life and identity.

The group, consisting of eight men and two women, was found to have deliberately posted degrading and insulting content on social media. Their posts included conspiracy theories about Brigitte Macron’s gender and sexuality, as well as critical remarks about the age difference between her and the president. The court ruled that the actions were intended to cause harm.

Most of the convicted received suspended prison sentences of up to eight months, along with penalties such as mandatory educational programs and temporary suspensions of their social media accounts. One defendant was taken into custody immediately after failing to appear in court.

Some of the harassment reflected earlier claims by internet personalities Natacha Rey and Amandine Roy, who previously alleged that Brigitte Macron did not exist and was in fact the president’s brother living under a false identity. Although they were convicted of slander in 2024, an appeals court later overturned the verdict, ruling that claims about a gender transition do not automatically constitute an attack on someone’s honour. The Macrons have since appealed the decision to France’s highest court.

Brigitte Macron’s lawyer, Jean Ennochi, said the most important part of the ruling lies in the preventive measures, including educational programs and account suspensions. During the trial, her daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, testified that the sustained online abuse had affected her mother’s health and daily life, and even led to teasing of her grandchildren at school. She explained that Brigitte Macron had become constantly aware of how her appearance and actions could be targeted by conspiracy theorists.