🔗 Share this article

Brigitte Macron's daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, testified to a judicial body in Paris that false claims circulating on the internet—including the baseless theory that she was born a man—have significantly harmed her mother's personal well-being.

Auzière, a 41-year-old lawyer, appeared as a testifier in the trial of ten people facing charges for online harassment targeting her mother.

Impact on Daily Life

She explained that Brigitte Macron now feels perpetual anxiety about how she looks, from the clothes she wears to how she stands, because of the apprehension that each snapshot could be distorted to advance hateful attacks.

"The result is that she constantly needs to be careful to her clothing, how she holds herself, irrespective of her activities in everyday routine," Auzière informed the judges.

Accused Individuals and Allegations

The defendants, between 41 and 60 years old, are facing charges for online harassment. Several had a small social media following, while the rest were more prominent.

All is accused of spreading defamatory content about the first lady's personal life. For some, this involved equating her age difference with the French president to hurtful comparisons.

If found responsible, they could receive as much as 24 months in incarceration.

Effect on Relatives

She, a family member from Brigitte Macron's previous marriage, described how the false claims have resulted in a "worsening of her health" and a "decline of her quality of life".

She testified, "Scarcely a day passes when someone does not talk the issue to her."

Auzière emphasized the repercussions on her relatives, for example the kids being exposed to malicious statements like "She is deceptive" or "She is your grandfather".

"She is unsure what to do about it," she remarked. "She's not elected, she has not sought anything, and she is permanently experiencing these assaults."

Court Case Context

The Paris trial is the latest phase in a broader legal battle targeting the inaccurate allegation that the first lady is supposedly male.

The Macrons have pursued a US lawsuit for defamation targeting a political commentator who promoted the claim.

The legal filing clarifies that the claim is totally unfounded and notes that the individual referenced is actually her brother.

Accused Individuals' Statements

In court, a few individuals denied the accusations.

• A retired business owner, now a deputy mayor, asserted he "had no purpose to hurt anyone" and referred to his posts as ironic.
• A well-known publicist argued that his posts were presented as "humor" and highlighted apprehension that the trial could threaten "the right to speak freely".
• An art gallery owner testified he posted information because he felt it was an international matter with "impact on the nation".

Past Context

The inaccurate claim about Brigitte Macron's sex circulated in part because the Macrons' relationship has frequently been a subject of discussion on the internet.

Brigitte Macron, who is 24 years older than her husband, initially encountered him when serving as a educator at his secondary school.

Their bond developed through drama activities, and they married in the following year, subsequent to her marriage dissolution.

She concluded her account by saying that the false claims have produced a "storm that does not cease" for her mother.