France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, is escalating her legal battle against two women who falsely claimed she was born male, taking the matter to the country’s top appeals court after a lower court dismissed the charges, her lawyer confirmed.
The Paris Court of Appeal last week overturned previous convictions against Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey, who were found guilty last year of defamation for spreading a bizarre conspiracy theory that Macron was once a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux — her real-life brother. The pair had been ordered to pay €8,000 to Brigitte Macron and €5,000 to her sibling.
The First Lady’s lawyer, Jean Ennochi, announced that both she and her brother will now bring their case before the Cour de Cassation, the highest judicial authority in France for civil and criminal matters.
“This case is not only about restoring personal dignity but also confronting organized disinformation campaigns that thrive online,” Ennochi told French media.
The controversy began in December 2021, when a YouTube video featuring Roy, a self-proclaimed spiritual medium, and Rey, who refers to herself as an independent journalist, gained traction online.
In the four-hour broadcast, the women discussed unfounded claims that Macron had changed gender decades ago — a narrative widely promoted among fringe conspiracy theorists, including some in the United States.
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Though the claims were debunked, they continued to circulate, fueled by the Macrons’ highly publicized age difference and Brigitte’s relatively private past.
While the lower court initially ruled in favor of the First Lady, citing reputational harm, the appeals court reversed that decision, arguing that the statements, while false, did not constitute libel under the current legal framework.
Legal experts say the Cour de Cassation will now assess whether that interpretation holds up under French defamation law.
The case highlights growing concerns in Europe over the impact of viral misinformation, particularly when it targets high-profile public figures.
Brigitte Macron’s decision to pursue the matter to the highest court signals a determination to set a precedent for how digital disinformation is addressed within the judicial system.