Monitoring foreign interference in elections

Authorities are closely watching the growing number of foreign operations aimed at destabilizing candidates in the upcoming French presidential election, fearing these actions could undermine the democratic process, regardless of whether the motivations are political or criminal.

New legislation against misinformation

A proposed law to increase penalties for spreading false information was introduced in the Senate on Wednesday. This comes after several left-wing candidates claimed earlier this year that the government's efforts to combat such manipulations were insufficient.

Early digital interference detected

The presidential election campaign, set for April 18 and May 2, is already facing a "massive and very early" digital interference from foreign actors, according to Anne-Sophie Dhiver, deputy head of Viginum, the French agency that combats information manipulation. Viginum has identified more than 100 such operations, a significant increase compared to previous elections.

Previous election trends

In the European and legislative elections in 2024, only 25 such operations were detected, and just four during the municipal elections in March 2026. While current manipulations are described as "of a mediocre level" and "having no visibility," experts caution that the situation could change as the election approaches.

France's vulnerability

France is the second most affected European country by information manipulation after Ukraine, according to the European Union's diplomatic service (SEAE). In 2025, 540 campaigns targeting Europe were detected, with 29% linked to Russia and 6% to China.

Social media's role in elections

During Germany's legislative elections in 2025, recommendation algorithms on American social network X and Chinese-owned TikTok were found to promote content supporting the far-right AfD party, which won the election. In France, the far-right RN candidate Marine Le Pen is currently leading opinion polls.

Potential collusion risks

Julien Nocetti, a researcher at the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri), warns that a possible collusion between Russian and American "Maga" narratives—pro-Trump ideologies—could pose a real risk to the French election.

Exploitation of social divisions

Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot accused adversaries of democracy of exploiting divisions in France, using issues like immigration, secularism, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to incite hatred and tension. He emphasized the need to counter these tactics.

Israeli-linked interference

Julien Nocetti also suggests that actors linked to Israel could be involved if certain candidates remain high in the polls, such as Jean-Luc Mélenchon of La France Insoumise (LFI), who has been accused of antisemitism. During the last municipal elections, LFI candidates were targeted by an operation linked to a former Israeli intelligence member.

Professionalization of interference

Anne-Sophie Dhiver notes the emergence of a professionalized economy of foreign digital interference, with service providers offering "technical support" to those involved in information manipulation. These services include anonymization and amplification techniques, making fake accounts harder to detect.

Economic motives for disinformation

Viginum has also observed a rise in disinformation driven by financial gain rather than political motives. For example, fake content is sometimes used to attract visitors to websites, generating revenue through advertising. This trend was first noted during the last municipal elections in France.

AI's impact on disinformation

The rapid development of artificial intelligence has significantly increased the capabilities of disinformation actors. AI allows for the creation of high-quality fake content in record time, which can be amplified at an unprecedented pace. Nicolas Roche, head of the French defense and security agency, highlighted this concern in early October.