Ten found guilty of digital abuse targeting Brigitte Macron

A French judicial body has convicted ten people for carrying out the cyber-bullying of Brigitte Macron, the spouse of France's leader, Emmanuel Macron.

The accused individuals faced accusations of disseminating untruths regarding her gender and sexuality, in addition to publishing hurtful comments about the couple's significant age difference.

The court delivered conditional custodial sentences of up to eight months to the defendants. The full ruling has yet to be released.

A persistent unfounded claim suggesting that Brigitte Macron is a transgender woman has spread widely since her husband's rise to the presidency in 2017.

This Monday's court decision in France comes as the Macrons engaging in a defamation lawsuit in the United States against right-wing influencer Candace Owens, who has repeatedly shared similar conspiracy theories about the Brigitte Macron's biological sex.

Their legal filing contends that Owens brushed aside all credible evidence that refuted her assertions in favour of platforming known conspiracy theorists.

Owens has regularly repeated these allegations on her podcast and social media channels, and in March 2024 stated that she would bet her whole career on her belief that Mrs. Macron is biologically male.

Brigitte Macron first met her now-husband when she taught at his lycée.

The pair entered into matrimony in 2007, when the then-29-year-old Emmanuel Macron was 29 and she was 54.