Particle.news
Download on the App Store
8 ARTICLES
·
2d ago

Brigitte Macron Appeals Acquittal in Transphobic Rumour Case to Court de Cassation

The challenge in France’s highest court could set new legal boundaries between defamation protections and free expression

Brigitte Macron was awarded €8,000 in damages after the false trans conspiracy theory. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Brigitte Macron has been the target of online rumours for years
Image

Overview

  • Brigitte Macron and her brother Jean-Michel Trogneux have filed appeals with the Court de Cassation after the Paris appeals court overturned their libel convictions of Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey.
  • The Paris appeals court acquitted the two defendants on July 10 after they were originally found guilty in September 2024 and ordered to pay €8,000 to Macron and €5,000 to her brother.
  • The Court de Cassation will review the appeals court’s legal interpretation but will not re-examine the underlying facts of the case.
  • The dispute began with a December 2021 YouTube video in which Roy and Rey alleged that Brigitte Macron was born Jean-Michel Trogneux and had secretly transitioned before marrying Emmanuel Macron.
  • Observers say the outcome could influence France’s efforts to curb online disinformation and clarify how good-faith expression is weighed against reputational harm.