A Paris court delivered a significant verdict on Monday, January 5, 2026, sentencing ten people for a coordinated campaign of cyberbullying against Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron. The case centered on the malicious spread of false information regarding the First Lady's gender and insinuations about the couple's age difference.
The Verdict and Sentences
The court handed down a range of penalties to the defendants. Eight individuals received suspended prison sentences ranging from four to eight months. A ninth defendant was given a stricter sentence of six months in jail, a penalty linked to his absence from the court hearing. All nine, along with a tenth person, were also ordered by the presiding judge, Thierry Donard, to complete a mandatory course on combating online hate speech.
Judge Donard was unequivocal in his condemnation of the actions, describing the false claims of the First Lady's "alleged paedophilia" as "malicious, degrading and insulting." He stated the sentences were for "intentionally harming the complainant."
A Persistent Campaign of Falsehoods
The relationship between President Emmanuel Macron, 48, and Brigitte Macron, 72, has been under intense public scrutiny since his election in 2017. The couple met when he was a student and she was a drama teacher at his school. In recent years, this scrutiny has morphed into a barrage of online disinformation, which the Macrons have chosen to confront legally rather than ignore.
The false narratives, which first emerged around the time of Macron's initial election, have been amplified extensively in far-right and conspiracy theory circles, both in France and abroad. The claims have found particular resonance in the United States, where transgender rights are a focal point of cultural debates.
Legal Battles Extend Beyond France
This Paris ruling is not an isolated legal action by the French First Couple. Demonstrating their resolve to combat defamation internationally, President Macron and his wife have also filed a defamation lawsuit in the United States. The target of that suit is right-wing American podcaster Candace Owens, who publicly propagated the false claim that Brigitte Macron was formerly a man.
The court's decision marks a firm stance against the weaponization of online platforms to spread harmful lies about public figures. It underscores a growing judicial willingness in France to assign real-world consequences to digital harassment and hate speech, setting a potential precedent for similar cases.
