French presidential candidate Attal targeted by Russian disinformation operation

Published Aug 5, 03:38 PM UTC

On August 5, 2026, Le Monde reported that Gabriel Attal, presidential candidate and secretary general of the Renaissance party, has been targeted by a Russian disinformation operation. The French digital interference monitoring service Viginum detected the operation with 'high confidence,' attributing it to the pro-Russian Matriochka network. The operation, which remained barely visible with a few thousand views, published fake content on X (formerly Twitter) usurping the visual identity of French media outlets. The false claims included that Attal showed signs of Parkinson's disease and advocated for pro-squatter housing policies. This is the third such operation in recent days, following similar targeting of candidates Edouard Philippe and Raphaël Glucksmann by the Storm-1516 group. Attal's entourage linked the interference to his strong stance on Ukraine and his presidential candidacy. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu had previously warned of a 'very acute' risk of foreign interference, and the government has proposed a bill to increase penalties for disseminating fake news in electoral contexts.

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