Court Jailed 10 People Cyberbullying Brigitte Macron—Hands Down Tough Sentences to French PM's Wife

A court in Paris has sentenced ten people involved in cyber-bullying Brigitte Macron, the wife of the French President Emmanuel Macron.

Some of the convicted included self-proclaimed rogue journalist Natacha Rey and an internet influencer, Amandine Roy.

The verdict of the court and sentences

A Parisian court determined that the defendants acted with an evident motive of injuring Brigitte Macron with their activity on social media. The majority of the convicted were sentenced to suspended jail terms with up to eight months' jail term, and one person was immediately sent to gaol because he failed to turn up to the court hearing.

Some of the accused were subject to other reprisals such as fines, compulsory enrolment in cyber-harassment sensitisation programmes and social media platforms, where the persecution emanated, suspension, or prohibition.

In 2024, they were first convicted of slander and said that Brigitte Macron did not exist, and her brother had transformed and renamed himself after her. Nevertheless, they were exonerated of such accusations on appeal, and the court concluded that accusing somebody of transitioning sex does not always amount to an affront to his or her honour.

The Macrons are going to appeal this case in the High Court of Appeal.

The judge underlined the fact that the activities of the defendants were directed to inflict harm to the reputation and well-being of Brigitte Macron.

The court emphasised the need to take proactive actions, including the suspension of social media accounts, to prevent the continued harassment.

The conspiracy theories

The gender-related accusations against Brigitte Macron have continued since 2007 when she married Emmanuel Macron at the age of a middle-aged person (around 50) and he was 29.

Their relationship was subjected to undesirable attention and mockery as it had a large age difference, and the conspiracy theories took advantage of this fact and invented their own stories.

These theories are a means of political as well as social sabotage, an effort of trying to discredit her and, consequently, the presidency.

Legal actions done

Brigitte Macron has also come out publicly to condemn cyber harassment by noting that she would like people to follow her example to fight. She has suggested a more powerful response against hate speech and fake news on the internet, urging to seek legal solutions and the promotion of respectful dialogue online.

Her attorney pointed to the decision of the court as a breakthrough on the way to holding the perpetrators responsible and preventing cyberbullying in the future. The case is also an indication of a larger cultural shift within French society to combat the harmful nature of online harassment and to safeguard people against the perpetrators of malicious lies.

A campaign against cyber-bullying

Ever since Emmanuel Macron was elected in 2017, Brigitte Macron has been the victim of numerous vile online assaults, most of which propagate information about her gender and sexuality.

Some conspiracy theories have been spread that she was born male with the name Jean-Michel Trogneux, the name of her older brother, and is a transgender woman. These assertions have been reinforced on social media platforms, and most of the time, with comments of derogation and malicious commentary targeting to diminish her dignity.

Also, the age gap between the couple, 24 years old, has been an easy target of mockery and misplaced criticism, which contributes to hostility on the Internet as well.

Although Brigitte Macron and her husband tried to forget the online abuse in the beginning, the magnitude and aggressiveness of the attacks led to legal proceedings.

Effect on Brigitte Macron and family

Brigitte Macron has suffered in her health and personal life. Her daughter Tiphaine Auziere gave evidence to the fact that the unrelenting abuse on the internet has affected not only the mental health of her mother but also her day-to-day life.

She clarified that Brigitte Macron has developed some fears regarding what outfits to wear and where to go, without being sure that her image could be exploited or abused by conspiracy theories. Her grandchildren have also been the victims of harassment in the form of being taunted at school, and this has contributed a family aspect of the suffering of the online attacks.

Although Brigitte Macron has conditioned herself to tolerate most of the harassment, she has given an indication that she would like to launch a counterattack in the courts over the matter, focusing on the need to take a stand against hate on the internet.

The purpose of her actions is to create awareness of cyberbullying and its effects, particularly on public personalities who have become targets of the coordinated misinformation campaigns.