Attal files complaint over alleged Russian disinformation campaign

Former French Prime Minister and presidential candidate Gabriel Attal filed a legal complaint on Friday over an alleged Russian disinformation campaign targeting him ahead of France's presidential election next year, French media reported on Saturday.

According to Attal's lawyers, the complaint denounces acts of foreign interference, manipulation of information and the fabrication of content that could undermine the country's fundamental interests and the integrity of the upcoming presidential vote.

Fake accounts impersonating media

Speaking to broadcaster BFMTV, Attal's lawyers said several accounts on the social network X, some of which posed as French and international media outlets, had spread fabricated video reports and newspaper articles. These materials attributed false statements to Attal that he never made, with the apparent aim of undermining his credibility as a candidate.

The complaint comes as France's political landscape begins to shift toward next year's presidential race, in which Attal is expected to run.