Fact check: How old was Emmanuel Macron when he met Brigitte Macron?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, Emmanuel Macron was 15 years old when he first met Brigitte Macron in 1993 ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]}. All sources consistently confirm this age across multiple publications. The sources indicate that Brigitte was 39 years old at the time, making her 24 years older than Emmanuel ^{[4] [5] [6]}.

The meeting occurred when Brigitte was Emmanuel's drama teacher ^[5], and their initial connection developed after they collaborated on a school play ^[6]. The sources establish that Brigitte was born in 1953 and Emmanuel in 1977 ^[1], which aligns with the reported ages when they met.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question, while factually answerable, omits several significant contextual elements that provide a fuller picture of this relationship:

• The substantial age gap and power dynamic: The sources reveal that this was a teacher-student relationship with a 24-year age difference ^{[4] [5] [6]}, which raises questions about appropriate professional boundaries in educational settings.
• The nature of their early relationship: While the sources confirm when they met, they don't clearly delineate when their relationship transitioned from teacher-student to romantic, which would be relevant context for understanding the timeline.
• Societal implications: The relationship has generated "opposition and scandals" according to one source ^[3], suggesting there has been public controversy surrounding their relationship that isn't captured in the simple age question.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself doesn't contain misinformation, as it's a straightforward factual inquiry. However, the framing could be seen as potentially minimizing the controversial aspects of the relationship by focusing solely on age rather than the broader context of the teacher-student dynamic and significant age gap.

The question's simplicity might inadvertently downplay the ethical considerations that have made this relationship a subject of public debate, as referenced in the mention of "opposition and scandals" ^[3]. A more comprehensive inquiry might address not just the age at meeting, but also the professional relationship context and when their personal relationship began.