A Paris court has convicted 10 individuals over a sustained campaign of online harassment targeting France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron.
The ruling was delivered on Monday, January 5, 2026, with the court finding the defendants guilty of spreading false and defamatory claims alleging that Brigitte Macron is a transgender woman who was born male, according to French media reports.
For several years, President Emmanuel Macron and his wife have been the subjects of conspiracy theories circulating online. One of the most persistent false claims alleged that Brigitte Macron was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux — the actual name of her elder brother.
The Macrons have also frequently faced public ridicule over their 24-year age difference.
Although the couple had largely ignored such attacks in the past, they recently decided to confront what they described as coordinated smear campaigns by pursuing legal action, leading to the convictions.
