Russian diplomat calls out French authorities for targeting journalists over Brigitte Macron scandal

The situation around French President Emmanuel Macron, whose wife is suspected of having a male origin, is an example of how French journalists are being persecuted by the authorities for showing interest, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova.

“A drama is currently developing around a topic that is of concern not only to French journalists, but also to American and, indeed, to the world press, regarding some piquant details of what is happening with the Macron couple,” she noted, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

The diplomat specified that she is citing this situation as an example of how French journalists are being persecuted by the authorities for showing professional interest.

On February 5, it became known that journalist Natacha Rey intended to sue the First Lady of France. The complaint will be filed "in the near future" and will be directed against Brigitte Macron-Tronier, her brother Jean-Michel Tronier, their lawyer, and three judges.

Earlier, on February 3, Rey told Russian news service Izvestia about the obstruction of her investigation and subsequent publication. She said just a few weeks after she contacted a woman close to the Macron family, she was detained by the police. When they arrived at her home, they attempted to break down her front door. Later, Natacha Rey's lawyer, François Danglian, stated that the journalist had applied for political asylum in Russia.

Since Macron's election to his first presidential term in 2017, media reports have circulated suggesting that his wife Brigitte actually used to be named Jean-Michel and was a man. In December 2021, journalist Natasha Rey published an article claiming that she had been investigating the First Lady of France for several years.

In January 2022, the wife of the French president announced her intention to sue those spreading such rumours online. She filed a lawsuit against Rey and Delfine Jegousse, known on the internet as the medium Amandine Roua. However, in March 2023, the court rejected Brigitte Macron's claim based on violation of privacy and the right to one’s image. At that time, Macron, along with the civil lawsuit, also filed a criminal suit for public defamation.

In March 2024, Macron publicly criticized the media for spreading false information that his wife was allegedly born a man.

By Khagan Isayev