France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, has escalated her legal battle to the country’s highest court, the Cour de Cassation, after a lower appeals court overturned a ruling that found two women guilty of spreading false claims about her gender identity.
The case stems from a widely circulated YouTube video published in December 2021, in which Natacha Rey, a self-proclaimed independent journalist, was interviewed for four hours by Amandine Roy, a self-described spiritual medium.
According to France24, the claims made in the video quickly spread on social media and fuelled conspiracy narratives, particularly among groups opposed to President Emmanuel Macron, including anti-vaccine activists and QAnon adherents.
Ahead of the 2022 French presidential election, Brigitte Macron and her brother sued the two women for defamation.
Initially, a lower court ruled in their favor, ordering Rey and Roy to pay €8,000 (Sh1.2 million) to Mrs. Macron and €5,000 (Sh750,000) to her brother in damages.
However, the Paris Appeals Court later reversed the ruling, prompting Macron’s legal team to take the matter to the Cour de Cassation.
“The prejudice is massive. It exploded everywhere,” said Jean Ennochi, Brigitte Macron’s lawyer, emphasizing the widespread harm the claims caused.
This is not the first time Brigitte Macron has faced public scrutiny.
Since President Macron took office in 2017, the couple’s 24-year age gap has attracted consistent attention and online commentary.
A former teacher, Brigitte Macron has largely maintained a low profile despite the controversies.