Alleged Russian interference: Paris prosecutor's office opens investigations targeting presidential candidates

Will the presidential election be disrupted by interference? The protection of fundamental freedoms section of the Paris public prosecutor's office has in any case “taken charge” of suspicions of Russian interference targeting presidential contenders Edouard Philippe (Horizons) and Gabriel Attal (Renaissance).

At the beginning of August, the Paris prosecutor's office had already announced that it had also taken charge of the same alleged facts concerning Raphaël Glucksmann (Place publique), probable presidential candidate. A series of destabilization operations, attributed to pro-Russian networks, targeted three declared or anticipated presidential candidates this summer.

Slander about health

Edouard Philippe was slandered about his state of health, Raphaël Glucksmann through his partner and Gabriel Attal was notably presented as potentially suffering from Parkinson's disease. Even if these operations remained barely visible according to a security source, they are the first aimed directly since the start of the campaign of the contenders for the Elysée.