Brigitte Macron in trouble
Uproar in Paris: French First Lady Uses Slur About Feminist Protestors | WATCH
Wife of President Emmanuel Macron caught on video using slur to refer to feminist protestors during chat with controversial comedian. Response across political, cultural spectrum condemns First Lady as degrading and out of touch.
France is engulfed in a political and cultural storm after a leaked backstage video showed Brigitte Macron, the wife of President Emmanuel Macron, referring to feminist protesters with a crude slur during a private exchange with comedian Ary Abittan. Abittan, who has previously been accused of rape, was preparing for a show in Paris on Sunday when the remarks were recorded.
The controversy began after activists from the feminist group “Nous Toutes” disrupted Abittan’s performance Saturday night, protesting what they describe as France’s culture of impunity surrounding sexual offenses by well-known men. In the newly leaked footage, Brigitte Macron appears to reassure Abittan ahead of his next show and refers to the protesters as “salles connes,” a phrase widely translated as “stupid"” or “filthy b*tches.” She also promises that if they return, they will be removed from the venue.
The reaction in France has been swift and fierce. Feminist groups, politicians, and prominent cultural figures condemned the First Lady’s language as degrading and out of touch. Nous Toutes said her remarks “humiliate women fighting for their rights” and reinforce the dynamic they protested in the first place.
The Élysée attempted damage control. Presidential spokesperson Marielle Brière insisted Macron was only trying to calm Abittan, who reportedly said he feared a repeat of the protest. The First Lady, she said, was not attacking feminism but criticizing “extreme methods” used to disrupt the performance.
The explanation did little to quell the uproar. Green Party leader Marine Tondelier called for consequences, arguing that such language is unacceptable from anyone in Macron’s position. Former president François Hollande added that the incident raises “a problem of vulgarity.” Others on the left framed the scandal as emblematic of the broader struggle for women’s rights in France.
The right, however, largely downplayed the controversy. Jean-Philippe Tanguy of the far-right argued that private conversations should not be policed, saying many people would be embarrassed if their off-the-record remarks were publicly aired.
The backlash has spilled across social media, where celebrities including actress Judith Godrèche, singer Camélia Jordana, and senator Mélanie Vogel echoed the protesters’ hashtag and declared solidarity. Godrèche, a high-profile figure in France’s #MeToo movement, posted: “I’m a ‘salle conne’ too, and I stand with these women.”
The incident has now escalated into a full political brawl, with the French First Lady at its center.