France's prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into disinformation campaigns targeting Edouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal, prominent contenders for the 2027 presidential election. Fake news reports on social media, including fabricated videos, aimed to undermine their campaigns.
The investigation highlights concerns about foreign interference and disinformation campaigns targeting democratic processes in France, potentially influencing public opinion ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The Paris prosecutor’s office has initiated an investigation into disinformation campaigns that targeted two prominent French presidential hopefuls, Edouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal, earlier this summer. These efforts involved fake news reports and fabricated videos disseminated on social media platforms, including X and TikTok, with the apparent aim of damaging their candidacies for the 2027 election.
Reports falsely claimed that Philippe, who has alopecia, was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease. Simultaneously, fabricated stories alleged that Attal, also a former prime minister, suffered from Parkinson's disease and was using drugs. Attal publicly denounced these claims as false and has filed a complaint.
While Philippe has not commented publicly on the posts, his allies have suggested the operations may be linked to Russian interference. France's specialized agency for monitoring foreign online interference, Viginum, has identified Russia-affiliated networks, specifically Storm-1516 and Matriochka, as potential perpetrators behind the disinformation targeting Philippe and Attal, respectively.
In a related development, MEP Raphaël Glucksmann, another potential presidential contender, was also subjected to a similar disinformation campaign. The prosecutor’s office announced a separate investigation into this case earlier this month.