A Paris court is poised to deliver its verdict on Monday, 5th January 2026, in a landmark case concerning the alleged cyberbullying of French first lady Brigitte Macron. Ten individuals stand accused of orchestrating a malicious online campaign against her, spreading damaging falsehoods about her gender and sexuality.
The Allegations and Their Impact
The defendants, comprising eight men and two women aged between 41 and 60, are charged with posting what prosecutors describe as "numerous malicious comments." These posts falsely claimed that Brigitte Macron was born a man and insinuated that the couple's 24-year age gap was linked to paedophilia. Some of this content was viewed tens of thousands of times online.
While the first lady did not attend the two-day trial held in October, her daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, gave powerful testimony. She described a profound "deterioration" in her mother's life and health due to the intense online harassment. "She cannot ignore the horrible things said about her," Auzière told the court, emphasising that the impact had rippled through the entire family, including President Macron's grandchildren.
Key Defendants and Their Defence
Among the accused, Delphine Jegousse, 51, who uses the name Amandine Roy and identifies as a medium and author, is considered a central figure. She is alleged to have played a major role in propagating the rumours after publishing a four-hour video on her YouTube channel in 2021.
Another defendant, Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, 41, known on social media as Zoé Sagan, had his X account suspended in 2024 after his name surfaced in multiple judicial investigations. The group also includes an elected official, a teacher, and a computer scientist.
During proceedings, several defendants argued their posts were intended as humour or satire and expressed confusion over the prosecution. If convicted, they each face potential prison sentences of up to two years.
Broader Context and Legal Action
This criminal case follows years of persistent conspiracy theories falsely alleging Brigitte Macron was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux—which is, in fact, her brother's name. The Macron family has also pursued legal action internationally, filing a separate defamation suit in the United States against conservative influencer Candace Owens.
The case highlights the severe personal toll of online harassment, even for public figures. Brigitte Macron, 71, was a teacher named Brigitte Auzière—a married mother of three—when she met her future husband, then her student, at a high school. The couple married in 2007, and Emmanuel Macron, now 48, has served as President of France since 2017.
