Paris Opens National Probe Into Foreign Smear Campaign Against Left-Wing Candidates

Paris prosecutors have launched an independent investigation into an alleged foreign influence operation that targeted three hard-left mayoral candidates ahead of France’s March municipal elections, with suspicion falling on an obscure Israeli firm that has since wiped its online presence.

The case has been building since March, when French disinformation watchdog Viginum first flagged a “foreign digital interference” scheme targeting candidates from the pro-Palestinian party France Unbowed, known by its French acronym LFI. Reuters has been central to uncovering the operation’s suspected origins, reporting earlier this month that French authorities are examining whether the campaign was run by a firm called BlackCore — and that Paris prosecutors have now opened their own probe, consolidating investigations already underway in Marseille and Toulouse.

Who Was Targeted and How

The operation focused on three LFI candidates in major French cities: Sébastien Delogu in Marseille, François Piquemal in Toulouse, and David Guiraud in Roubaix. Each was targeted through a combination of deceptive websites, fake or coordinated social media accounts making allegations of criminal behaviour, and disparaging digital advertising.

In Marseille, a now-defunct site called “Sophie’s Blog” made allusions to unspecified sexual misconduct against Delogu, with QR codes posted around the city directing residents to it. Delogu subsequently filed a defamation lawsuit. Guiraud, who won his election in Roubaix, was targeted through Facebook pages that Viginum linked to the same network.

Piquemal, who narrowly lost the Toulouse run-off, was hit with anonymous social media accounts, smear websites and ads placed in a local newspaper. He has since sought to have the election result annulled on the grounds of foreign interference — a case still before the Toulouse Administrative Court.

The BlackCore Connection

French intelligence began examining whether the campaign was carried out by BlackCore, a company that described itself, before scrubbing its website and LinkedIn page, as “an elite influence, cyber, and technology company built for the modern era of information warfare” offering governments and political campaigns “cutting-edge strategies, advanced tools, and robust security to shape narratives.”

Reuters was unable to establish BlackCore’s precise location or find any record of it in Israeli corporate registries. The company has not responded to repeated attempts to contact it. Israel’s Foreign Ministry told Reuters it was not aware of BlackCore.

What investigators do have is a trail of platform-level enforcement actions. Meta removed a network of accounts and pages for coordinated inauthentic behaviour, stating the activity originated in Israel and primarily targeted France. It also linked that network to a separate social media operation BlackCore claimed credit for in an African country.

Google and TikTok independently identified elements of the French operation while policing their own platforms; TikTok removed an account that had promoted one of the bogus sites used in the smear campaign.

The Probe and Its Legal Limits

The Paris investigation is being led by prosecutors from a unit handling military affairs and attacks on the fundamental interests of the nation — a significant escalation in institutional weight. It will absorb evidence gathered in the regional Marseille and Toulouse probes and bring in a specialised national cyber police unit.

Prosecutors have noted, however, a significant legal constraint: under French law, “foreign interference” as a criminal category applies only to actions carried out by a foreign state. If the operation was commissioned by a private company or individuals — even from abroad — it would not meet that threshold. As of now, prosecutors say no evidence of direct state involvement has been reported.

Suspected offences under examination include foreign espionage, election fraud through false information or fraudulent methods, and online promotion of terrorism.

LFI’s Political Context

Far-left LFI is a polarising force in French politics. The party holds a stable base of around 10 to 15% in national polls — enough, analysts say, to reach the second round of the 2027 presidential election, in which longtime party leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon is running. The prospect of a far-right versus hard-left run-off between the National Rally and LFI is a scenario French centrists are anxious to avoid.

The party is regularly accused of antisemitism by some Jewish community leaders and political rivals, claims it denies, and its economic programme concerns many in the business community. Piquemal, who said he believed he was targeted specifically for his pro-Gaza advocacy, argued the operation was designed to prevent a credible left-wing candidate from winning France’s third-largest city.

Following Reuters’ initial reporting, Mélenchon called on the government to strengthen legislation against foreign interference. “We need to be protected, and if we are, all the other parties will be too,” he said. LFI added that it expected the 2027 presidential campaign to face similar attacks, warning that technological developments would “multiply this risk considerably.”