Brigitte Macron appeals defamation ruling to French Cour de cassation

Brigitte Macron and her brother, Jean-Michel Trogneux, have escalated their legal battle against transphobic conspiracy theories to France’s highest court. The Cour de cassation has scheduled a hearing for November 10, 2026, to examine their appeal.

The legal dispute stems from viral misinformation originating in 2021, which falsely claimed that the French First Lady was born male under her brother’s identity. While a Paris criminal court initially convicted Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey of defamation in September 2024, the Paris Court of Appeal overturned this decision in July 2025, acquitting the women on the grounds of freedom of expression and good faith.

The siblings are now seeking a partial annulment of that acquittal. Notably, the public prosecutor’s office has recommended a partial cassation of the previous ruling. If the Cour de cassation follows this recommendation, the case could be sent back to a new court of appeal for a legal re-evaluation of whether the original acquittal correctly applied defamation laws.