French election foreign interference concerns

French authorities have detected a significant wave of foreign digital interference targeting candidates for the upcoming presidential election. Anne-Sophie Dhiver, deputy head of the agency Viginum, reported that over one hundred operations have been identified, a figure that significantly exceeds the 25 operations noted during the 2024 European and legislative elections. Investigations suggest these manipulations stem largely from pro-Russian networks, specifically Matriochka and Storm-1516, targeting candidates such as Gabriel Attal, Raphaël Glucksmann, and Édouard Philippe.

While officials currently describe the impact as being at a “mediocre level,” they warn that such activities typically intensify as voting approaches. In response to these threats, the French Senate has advanced a bill in committee designed to protect the integrity of the 2027 presidential election. The proposed legislation includes tripling penalties for spreading false information during electoral periods, potentially increasing sentences to three years of imprisonment. Additionally, legislative efforts are addressing campaign financing loopholes, with proposed amendments seeking to establish nationality or residency requirements for individuals providing loans to candidates to prevent foreign influence.