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The French first lady's child, her daughter, informed a tribunal in Paris that misleading allegations online—such as the baseless theory that the French first lady had a male birth identity—have negatively impacted her mother's personal well-being.

Auzière, a 41-year-old lawyer, served as a testifier in the trial of 10 individuals allegedly involved in digital bullying targeting Brigitte Macron.

Impact on Daily Life

Auzière stated that Brigitte Macron now is always concerned about her appearance, such as the clothes she wears to how she stands, because of the concern that every photograph may be manipulated to fuel malicious comments.

"The outcome is that she always has to pay attention to her clothing, her posture, no matter what she's doing in everyday routine," she informed the judges.

Defendants and Charges

Eight men and two women, aged 41 to 60, are on trial for internet-based bullying. A few had a small social media following, while several more were more prominent.

Each one is accused of making malicious comments about Brigitte Macron's personal life. For some, this involved equating the age gap with Emmanuel Macron to offensive labels.

Upon being found guilty, they could receive up to two years in incarceration.

Consequences for Loved Ones

Auzière, one of three children from Brigitte Macron's first marriage, described how the false claims have resulted in a "deterioration of her well-being" and a "worsening of her overall existence".

She said, "Hardly a day passes when a person avoids discussing this to her."

Auzière highlighted the effects on loved ones, such as the younger generation hearing false assertions like "Your grandmother is not truthful" or "Your grandmother was born male".

"She has no idea what to do about it," Auzière remarked. "She's not elected, she has not sought public attention, and she is constantly facing these attacks."

Court Case History

The Paris trial is part of an ongoing effort in a wider judicial fight addressing the inaccurate allegation that she is a man.

The couple have pursued a US lawsuit for defamation targeting a media personality who promoted the theory.

The case states that the accusation is entirely inaccurate and points out that the name mentioned is in fact her sibling.

Trial Testimonies

Throughout the proceedings, a few individuals disputed the charges.

• An individual, now a deputy mayor, claimed he "had no purpose to cause harm" and described his social media content as humorous.
• A well-known publicist claimed that his posts were meant to be "satire" and highlighted apprehension that the trial could endanger "freedom of expression".
• A third defendant explained he disseminated posts as he believed it was a worldwide topic with "implications for the country".

Relationship Background

The baseless rumor concerning the first lady's identity circulated partly because their marriage has often been a point of interest online.

The first lady, being two decades older than her husband, initially encountered the future president when serving as a instructor at his school.

Their bond grew through the school's theatre programme, and they married in 2007, subsequent to Brigitte Macron's separation.

She wrapped up her testimony by stating that the false claims have produced a "whirlwind that continues endlessly" for the first lady.