Russian-linked disinformation campaign targets Gabriel Attal ahead of French presidential election

French authorities say a Russian-linked disinformation operation has targeted presidential candidate Gabriel Attal, in what officials described as another attempt to interfere in the country's political debate ahead of next year's election. The campaign was detected by Viginum, France's state body responsible for countering online disinformation, which said it identified the operation the day before. Officials said the material was aimed at the former centrist prime minister and appeared on X in posts impersonating legitimate French media outlets.

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According to the information provided by security sources, the operation was attributed with a high degree of confidence to the pro-Russia Matryoshka network. The fabricated posts falsely claimed that Attal had Parkinson's disease and that he supported a more favourable policy towards squatters. A source close to Attal said the attack was likely linked to his commitment to Ukraine after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

The campaign was described as relatively low-profile, drawing only a few thousand views, but officials said it formed part of a broader pattern of foreign interference concerns in France. The timing is significant because the country is preparing for next year's presidential election, when the far right is seen as having its strongest chance yet of winning. The episode also comes amid heightened scrutiny of online influence operations and the use of fabricated content to target public figures.

The case adds to a series of recent incidents in which French politicians have been targeted by Russian-linked propaganda networks. Authorities last week detected a separate disinformation campaign aimed at Raphael Glucksmann, a left-wing member of the European Parliament and a vocal critic of the Kremlin. That operation was traced to the Storm-1516 network, which has been linked to Russian intelligence, according to the security source cited in the report.

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The same group was also said to have targeted former prime minister Edouard Philippe last month with false claims about his health. Taken together, the incidents suggest a continuing effort to use impersonation, false health claims and political messaging to undermine candidates in France's election cycle. The focus on Attal is notable because he is a prominent centrist figure and a former head of government, making him a high-profile target in the contest ahead.

The use of social media platforms to spread the material also highlights how quickly such campaigns can circulate, even when their reach is limited. What remains unclear is the full scale of the operation, who specifically directed it, and whether the campaign will expand beyond the limited audience already identified. It is also not known whether further action will be taken against the accounts or networks involved.

For now, officials are watching for additional attempts to target candidates as France moves closer to the presidential race.

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