France probes Russian meddling ahead of 2027 elections

The Paris prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into potential Russian interference in France's electoral process ahead of the 2027 presidential election, according to BFMTV. The unit responsible for safeguarding fundamental freedoms, AC2, is examining possible attacks against candidates Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal, even before any official complaints were lodged.

In early August, the prosecutor's office also initiated a separate case concerning alleged Russian influence operations targeting another prospective candidate, Raphaël Glucksmann.

Investigators suspect that pro-Russian networks conducted a series of destabilization campaigns against Philippe, Attal, and Glucksmann during the summer. These campaigns allegedly involved the dissemination of false information about Philippe's and Attal's health, as well as social media posts targeting Glucksmann's partner. While the disinformation efforts did not garner widespread public attention, they marked the first instances of direct attacks on potential candidates during the presidential campaign.

Attal, who has declared his intention to run in 2027, has already taken legal action after falling victim to deepfakes. He claimed that the disinformation campaign involved foreign interference linked to Russian networks. France's presidential election is set for April 18, 2027, with a potential runoff on May 2, should it be necessary. President Emmanuel Macron, who has been elected twice, is ineligible to stand again.