Two days after the Miss France 2026 finale at the Zénith d’Amiens, the Provence and Aquitaine committees dismissed Julie Zitouni and Aïnhoa Laitete on December 9, 2025. The reason: a viral video of insults where the two candidates disparage the Top 12. The decision was made with the support of the Miss France Society, amid controversy and a warning about cyberbullying. Here are the facts and their implications.
The facts: a backstage sequence turned controversial in the beauty pageant
Evening of 12/06/2025 at the Zénith d’Amiens: amidst the tumult of the Miss France 2026 finale, the announcement of the Top 12 resounds. Backstage, Aïnhoa Laitete (sometimes spelled Lahitete), Miss Aquitaine 2025, films a short video questioning the selection. Julie Zitouni, Miss Provence 2025, enters the frame and, laughing, hurls insults at the Top 12 Miss France. The sequence was initially posted in a private story on Snapchat. However, it later became a backstage leak. As a result, it spread rapidly on social media.
In two days, the clip sparked an outcry on social media. Reactions ranged from disapproval to a true wave of cyberviolence. The two young women issued apologies and acknowledged that their words were not in line with the spirit of the pageant.
An immediate sanction, supported by the Miss France Society
On 12/09/2025, the regional committees Miss Provence and Miss Aquitaine announced, via a joint statement on Instagram, the revocation of the title of Julie Zitouni and Aïnhoa Laitete from their regional sashes. They see it as a "decision with serious consequences but necessary," made "with the support" of the Miss France Society, on the grounds that the remarks made are "in total contradiction" with the values of respect and exemplarity.
The sanction is rare but provided for by internal regulations. It aims to protect the image of the pageant and reaffirm the red lines. Indeed, in a world where every gesture can go viral, these measures are essential.
Public apologies and a battle of narratives
In the aftermath, Julie Zitouni and Aïnhoa Laitete multiplied messages of appeasement. The former assures that she used a vulgar word in a sense she calls "familiar," synonymous with "lucky," while admitting that such vocabulary has no place in Miss France. The latter acknowledges having approved an "unacceptable" phrase that does not reflect her "human values." She admits she did not live up to them "in the heat of the moment."
A point of friction remains: Julie Zitouni feels betrayed by the posting, even privately, of the video by Miss Aquitaine without prior information. On her side, Aïnhoa Laitete seeks to distance herself from the initial statement and sticks to her apologies. In the background, voices from the "world of Miss" speak of an image issue. For some, there is a lack of control over phones backstage.
"Not tolerated": the reaction of the pageant actors
A guiding figure of the pageant, Camille Cerf, godmother of the Misses and former Miss France, publicly reiterates this message. She insists that such behavior should not be tolerated. The regional committees condemn both the insulting remarks and the cyberbullying of which Julie Zitouni and Aïnhoa Laitete become targets. They emphasize that no fault justifies hate or online threats.
On the Quotidien broadcast, Hinaupoko Devèze, Miss France 2026, chooses restraint: she does not want to "fuel" either the controversy or the digital vindictiveness, judging the apologies "sufficient" from those involved.
Cyberviolence and responsibility: the smartphone "bomb" backstage
The episode reveals this paradox: the perceived intimacy of a private story and the real publicity of the web. A sequence captured "for a few close friends" can, in minutes, be displayed before millions of eyes. In this context, several pageant actors advocate for increased control of phones backstage. These are compared to a "bomb" in terms of image risks.
Beyond the pageant itself, the affair illustrates the permanent exposure of public figures: any reaction in the heat of the moment becomes a public act. It also raises the question of the proportion of reactions. A disciplinary sanction is logical in view of the stated values. However, the rush of hostile comments sometimes crosses into harassment. This category is punished by French law.
Timeline of a controversy
12/06/2025 (Saturday): Miss France 2026 finale at the Zénith d’Amiens. The video of insults is filmed backstage after the announcement of the Top 12. Neither Miss Provence nor Miss Aquitaine is included.
Night of 12/06 to 12/07/2025: the sequence is published in a private story on Snapchat. It is then transmitted and shared more widely, eventually becoming a backstage leak on Snapchat.
12/07/2025 (Sunday): the video of insults circulates massively. First public apologies on Instagram and in the press.
12/08/2025 (Monday): Hinaupoko Devèze speaks briefly on Quotidien, refuses to fuel the controversy, and deplores the harassment.
12/09/2025 (Tuesday): joint statement from the Miss Provence and Miss Aquitaine committees, with the support of the Miss France Society: revocation of the title of the two regional sashes.
Who are the protagonists?
Julie Zitouni, 26 years old, Miss Provence 2025, originally from Marseille, aspired to a place in the national Miss France finale. She describes herself as someone who "makes jokes" to lighten the atmosphere.
Aïnhoa Laitete, Miss Aquitaine 2025, sees her name sometimes spelled Lahitete according to the media. She acknowledges having approved her colleague’s phrase and apologizes.
Hinaupoko Devèze, Miss France 2026, embodies the new winner of the national Miss France pageant, an annual event followed by millions of viewers.
Around them, Lydia Podossenoff (Miss Provence 2005) and Éric Laurens, regional delegates for Provence and Aquitaine, sign the statement that confirms the revocation, praised by the Miss France Society.
What the affair reveals about Miss France today
The pageant, a popular institution, balances between a televised fairy tale and a demand for exemplarity. For several editions, its image has evolved: more diversity on screen, discourse on sisterhood, highlighting personal projects. This horizon clashes with the digital reality: backstage, disappointment, fatigue, and frustration can lead to excessive words.
The episode reminds us of an obvious fact: what is said on a phone can be replayed on a large scale, taken out of context, and deterritorialized. Individual responsibility is thus increased. The committees chose the strongest path, the revocation, to reaffirm the framework. But they also set a useful compass: condemning the fault does not authorize a lynching. Moderation in public debate becomes an issue in its own right.
The red lines of speech and image
The words spoken, even in jest, do not have the same impact. It depends on the space in which they circulate. A dressing room, a story, a public broadcast: three scenes, an increasing responsibility. In a media setup as powerful as Miss France, the notion of example is imperative: what shocks when it targets other candidates constitutes an affront to dignity and contravenes internal rules.
The reaction of the committees, swift and coordinated, shows the importance of clear governance. It also fuels a practical reflection: should the use of smartphones be restricted backstage? Ban stories during the finale? Or, conversely, double down on training in network ethics for ambassadors constantly under camera?
One affair, two collateral victims: reputation and serenity
For Julie Zitouni, who claims to have received more than 30,000 messages, and for Aïnhoa Laitete, the shockwave far exceeds the regulatory sanction. Their reputation is at stake, as is their digital security. The committees’ reaction, which explicitly condemns the harassment, establishes a salutary boundary between sanction and public shaming.
For the semi-finalists of the Top 12, the priority remains not to rekindle the controversy. The reminder of the apologies and the call from Miss France 2026 not to "fuel" the comments constitute a signal of appeasement.
And now?
At this stage, no reinstatement is planned. The regional elections will resume their course, with a message: behind the glitter, there is responsibility. The affair should accelerate the implementation of stricter rules backstage. Additionally, enhanced training in digital usage will be implemented. This aims to reduce the risk of new viral crises.
In the immediate future, the Miss France Society and the regional committees remain firm on values. Moreover, they are clear on the limits. The coming year will show if this line prevents the tale from once again tipping into the dark side of social networks.