Brigitte Macron's daughter hits back at political opponents over 'sexist and ageist' attacks on her mother.

Emmanuel Macron’s stepdaughter Tiphaine Auziere arrives at the Élysée Palace with her husband Antoine Choteau for his inauguration. Photograph: Julien de Rosa/EPA

The youngest daughter of France’s new first lady has accused political opponents of “jealousy” for launching what she called misogynistic attacks on Brigitte Macron.

Tiphaine Auzière, who is standing as a parliamentary candidate for Emmanuel Macron’s La Republique En Marche, has defended her mother from what she believes are ageist and sexist insults.

Interviewed before Sunday’s presidential inauguration, the 32-year-old lawyer told the French television channel BFMTV: “I think we cannot remain indifferent to this, and now I do not want to give any importance to people who convey this kind of stuff, because I find it totally outrageous in France in the 21st century to make such attacks.

“These are attacks that we wouldn’t direct at male politicians or at a man who would accompany a female politician. So I think there’s a lot of jealousy, and that this is very inappropriate.”

Auzière added: “On the ground, on the contrary, I meet people who admire what she does, her work, her involvement. If people have nothing else to do but criticise, let them do it, it will only bring us closer together.”