The Paris prosecutor's office has opened an investigation on its own initiative into suspected Russian interference targeting French presidential candidates Gabriel Attal and Edouard Philippe.
The fundamental freedoms protection section of the Paris prosecution service took up the case following a series of destabilisation operations carried out over the summer against declared and prospective contenders for the French presidency.
The move follows an earlier decision by the same prosecution unit in early August to investigate similar allegations involving Raphaël Glucksmann, a likely candidate for the 2027 election.
Security officials noted that while the online destabilisation efforts remained low in visibility, they represent the first foreign interference operations directly targeting candidates for the Élysée Palace since the 2027 campaign began.
Disinformation campaigns targeting candidates
The summer disinformation campaign focused on spreading personal slander and health rumors about the political figures.
Former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who leads the center-right Horizons party, was targeted with false claims regarding his health status.
Gabriel Attal, also a former Prime Minister and current head of the centrist Renaissance party, was falsely presented in online posts as potentially suffering from Parkinson's disease.
Raphaël Glucksmann, a member of the European Parliament and leader of the center-left Place publique party, was targeted through rumors involving his partner.
A security source stated that pro-Russian networks were believed to be behind the coordinated smear efforts against all three figures.
Legal complaints filed by candidates
Two of the targeted politicians have formally requested legal action against the foreign networks.
Gabriel Attal lodged an official legal complaint on 7 August alleging foreign interference originating from Russian networks, according to his attorneys Sacha Ghozlan and Lucas Veil.
Raphaël Glucksmann announced on 12 August that he had also filed a formal complaint with law enforcement authorities.
Speaking during a visit to the southern French department of Aude, Glucksmann said it was fundamental to make clear that France could not permit Vladimir Putin's Russia to manipulate an election that is existential for the French people.
Background on the 2027 presidential election
France will hold its next presidential election in 2027 to choose the successor to President Emmanuel Macron, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term.
The Paris prosecution service plays a central role in safeguarding public freedoms and election integrity across France, investigating matters of national security, electoral fraud, and foreign interference.
Both Attal and Philippe previously served as prime minister under Macron before launching their respective presidential bids for 2027.
Attal was appointed prime minister in early 2024 after serving as education minister, while Philippe served as prime minister from 2017 to 2020 before founding the Horizons party.
Glucksmann gained prominence as a member of the European Parliament, leading the French socialist and social-democratic coalition in recent European elections.
