Paris Prosecutor’s Office opens investigation into suspected Russian interference targeting Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal
French presidential hopefuls Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal have been targeted in recent weeks by disinformation campaigns allegedly conducted by Russian-linked networks.
The Fundamental Freedoms Protection Section of the Paris Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation on its own initiative into suspected Russian interference targeting presidential hopefuls Édouard Philippe of Horizons and Gabriel Attal of Renaissance. The French public prosecutor’s office confirmed the move on Tuesday, August 18, in response to a request from AFP. Earlier this month, the Paris Prosecutor’s Office announced that it had also opened an investigation into similar alleged interference targeting Raphaël Glucksmann of Place publique, who is expected to enter the presidential race.
A series of destabilisation operations attributed to pro-Russian networks have targeted three declared or potential presidential candidates this summer. False claims concerning Édouard Philippe’s health were circulated, Raphaël Glucksmann was targeted through allegations involving his partner, while Gabriel Attal was among other things falsely portrayed as potentially suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
According to a security source, the operations have so far attracted limited public attention. Nevertheless, they represent the first campaigns since the beginning of the current electoral period to directly target individuals seeking or expected to seek the French presidency.
The prosecutor’s office said that its AC2 section responsible for protecting fundamental freedoms had initiated proceedings concerning all three politicians before receiving formal complaints from the individuals concerned.
Gabriel Attal, a 2027 presidential candidate, leader of the Renaissance party and former prime minister, filed a complaint on August 7 over alleged “foreign interference” originating from Russian networks, according to his lawyers, Sacha Ghozlan and Lucas Veil, who spoke to AFP.
Raphaël Glucksmann announced on August 12 that he had also filed a complaint. During a visit to the Aude department, he said France could not allow Vladimir Putin’s Russia to manipulate the 2027 presidential election, which he described as an election of fundamental importance to the French people.
Jérémy Patrier-Leitus, an Horizons MP representing Calvados’s 3rd constituency, also denounced the threat posed by disinformation to the integrity of the 2027 presidential election in an interview with BFMTV.
He stressed that a large proportion of young people in France now obtain information through social media, making foreign interference potentially capable of influencing both public opinion and the outcome of the election. He called for stronger and more effective measures to counter foreign interference.
The Horizons MP also advocated for clear rules governing presidential campaigning on social media, similar to the regulatory framework already applicable to traditional media.