Justice Served: Ten Found Guilty of Cyber-Bullying Brigitte Macron

Thu Jan 08 2026 11:30:07 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A Paris court has found ten individuals guilty for cyber-bullying Brigitte Macron, with implications for social media accountability and mental health awareness.

In a landmark ruling, a Paris court convicted ten people for spreading false claims and malicious remarks against Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron. Most received suspended prison sentences, while the case highlights ongoing issues of online harassment and its effects on mental health. The Macrons plan to appeal previous slander judgments, reflecting their commitment to countering harmful conspiracy theories. The disturbing trend underlines the relevance of protecting public figures from cyberbullying and its wider societal impacts.

Ten people have been found guilty of cyber-bullying Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, by a Paris court.

The defendants were accused of spreading false claims about her gender and sexuality, as well as making malicious remarks about the 24-year age gap between the couple.

Most of the defendants were handed suspended prison sentences of up to eight months, but one was jailed immediately for failing to attend court. Some had their social media accounts suspended.

The judge said the eight men and two women had acted with a clear desire to do harm to Brigitte Macron, making degrading and insulting remarks online.

Two offenders, self-styled journalist Natacha Rey and fortune-teller Amandine Roy, were previously found guilty of slander in 2024 for claiming that France's first lady had never existed but were cleared on appeal. The Macrons are now taking that case to the high court of appeal.

Jean Ennochi, Brigitte Macron's lawyer, emphasized the importance of deterrence through education and social media account suspensions after the verdict. Tiphaine Auzière, Brigitte's daughter, expressed that the attacks have negatively impacted her mother's health and affected their family.

The Macrons are also pursuing a defamation lawsuit in the US against right-wing influencer Candace Owens, who perpetuates conspiracy theories regarding Brigitte's gender. The couple initially ignored the rumors but decided to confront the issue due to its escalation. Since being elected in 2017, Brigitte has faced allegations about her identity, stemming from her marriage to Emmanuel, marrying him when he was 29 and she was in her mid-50s.