Suspected Foreign Influence Shakes France's Local Politics

French justice is currently investigating a case that is occupying political Paris with unusual intensity: the suspicion of coordinated digital influence operations against candidates of the left-wing party La France insoumise (LFI) during the recent local election campaigns. At the center are allegations that organized disinformation campaigns were targeted specifically against several prominent politicians of Jean-Luc Mélenchon's movement. Especially sensitive is the question of whether actors with connections to Israel could be behind these actions. According to current findings, among those affected were LFI deputies Sébastien Delogu, François Piquemal, and ...