How russia is trying to influence elections in France
A campaign to spread fake content about candidates in the 2027 presidential election who support Ukraine has been detected in the French information space.
▫️ Through a network of anonymous accounts, mainly on the social network X, fabricated publications styled as reports by well-known media outlets are being circulated, containing false claims about possible candidates Gabriel Attal, Édouard Philippe and Raphaël Glucksmann.
In particular, false claims are being spread about alleged Parkinson’s disease suffered by Attal, «billions stolen» by him, dementia allegedly affecting Philippe, journalists supposedly being bribed on behalf of Glucksmann, and so on.
▫️ Fake content is also being circulated in the name of well-known media outlets, claiming that France is allegedly fabricating examples of «russian disinformation» in order to use them as a pretext to block the social network X.
The French state service Viginum, responsible for protection against foreign digital interference, confirmed that these fakes were created and distributed through networks linked to russia. In particular, through the «Matryoshka» network, which the Center has reported on repeatedly. The same type of fake content was also circulated in Germany targeting candidates in local elections.
russia systematically attempts to influence elections in EU countries, discredit candidates who support Ukraine, and undermine trust in state institutions, including through coordinated networks for spreading disinformation, fake content and manipulation.
