French prosecutors launch investigation into Russian interference in election

The department for the protection of fundamental freedoms of the Paris Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation "on its own initiative" into suspicions of Russian interference in France's presidential election.

Source: French broadcaster BFMTV, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Three officially declared or potential presidential candidates have been targeted this summer by a series of destabilisation operations attributed to pro-Russian networks. Édouard Philippe has been the subject of false rumours regarding his health; Raphaël Glucksmann has been targeted via his partner, Léa Salamé; and Gabriel Attal has been portrayed, among other things, as likely to be suffering from Parkinson's disease.

Although the operations largely went unnoticed according to a security source, they are the first to directly target presidential candidates since the start of their election campaigns.

"The AC2 department, which is responsible for the protection of fundamental freedoms, took the initiative to launch an investigation on behalf of these three individuals before the complaints submitted to the prosecution service were received," the prosecutor's office said.

Gabriel Attal, a candidate in the 2027 presidential election, leader of the Renaissance party and former prime minister, filed a complaint on 7 August over "foreign interference originating from Russian networks", his lawyers Sacha Ghozlan and Lucas Veil said.

Raphaël Glucksmann announced on 12 August that he had filed a complaint. During a visit to Aude, he said: "It is extremely important to say this simple thing: we cannot allow Vladimir Putin's Russia to manipulate the 2027 election, which is existential for the French people."

Background:

• French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot recently warned that Paris "will not tolerate any attempts at foreign interference".
• French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has said he expects various political forces to work with the government to counter foreign interference in the presidential campaign.

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