Ten individuals found guilty of digital abuse against Brigitte Macron

A French judicial body has ruled against ten people for carrying out the online harassment of Brigitte Macron, the spouse of the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.

The accused individuals faced allegations of spreading untruths regarding her gender and sexual orientation, in addition to making defamatory statements about the pair's age disparity of 24 years.

The court issued suspended prison sentences of up to eight months to the convicted individuals. The detailed judgment has not yet been published.

A longstanding unfounded claim claiming that Brigitte Macron is a transgender woman has been in circulation since her husband's first electoral victory in 2017.

This latest legal outcome in France comes as the Macrons initiating a defamation lawsuit in the US against political commentator Candace Owens, who has likewise promoted analogous false narratives about the first lady's identity.

Their complaint states that Owens disregarded all credible evidence that refuted her assertions choosing instead to platforming known conspiracy theorists.

Owens has regularly repeated these allegations on her show and social networks, and in March 2024 stated that she would stake her entire professional reputation on her belief that Mrs. Macron was born a man.

Brigitte Macron originally became acquainted with her current spouse when she taught at his high school.

The two married in 2007, when the future French president was 29 and she was in her mid-50s.