French authorities are investigating a possible foreign interference campaign targeting a left-wing party ahead of the March municipal elections. This alleged campaign was reportedly linked to an obscure Israeli firm named BlackCore, which is believed to have used deceptive websites, social media accounts, and negative ads to undermine three candidates from the France Unbowed party. French intelligence agencies are trying to determine who commissioned this campaign. However, details about BlackCore remain unclear, as it cannot be confirmed where the company is based, and its online presence has been taken down. BlackCore has claimed to be a tech and influence firm specializing in information warfare for governments and political campaigns.
BlackCore’s actions reportedly include a social media operation for an African government, and it claimed responsibility for that project in documents reviewed by Reuters, although the documents did not specify the exact details. Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, identified a network related to the BlackCore campaign, confirming that this rogue activity originated in Israel and primarily targeted France. They removed several accounts for violating their rules against coordinated inauthentic behavior. Both Google and TikTok found aspects of the disinformation operation on their platforms, although they did not provide detailed comments.
The alleged campaign specifically targeted candidates Sébastien Delogu, François Piquemal, and David Guiraud, as outlined by French authorities. Reports indicated that the operation had limited reach but was part of a broader scheme of foreign digital interference against the left-wing party. The France Unbowed party, known for its pro-Palestinian stance, is often criticized by some Jewish leaders and political opponents, while it has a solid base of 10-15% voter support that could play a significant role in future elections.
Delogu had to withdraw from the second round of voting to avoid splitting the left vote but filed a defamation lawsuit in March against a now-defunct website that made allusions to sexual misconduct. QR codes leading to this site were also posted in Marseille. Guiraud confronted similar smear tactics through social media pages tied to the same campaign. Piquemal, who lost narrowly in Toulouse, experienced hostile anonymous online behavior and suspected his advocacy for Gaza influenced the attacks. He reported the situation to police and is optimistic the investigation will uncover the culprits behind the disinformation.
There have been concerns about the levels of political polarization in France, raising alarms about the safety of democracy. The possibility of a far-right party facing off against the far-left party in future elections is also a significant concern for centrists in France. In light of these events, the France Unbowed party stated that they expect to see similar attacks in the upcoming presidential election and urged vigilance against growing technological threats. The Israeli Foreign Ministry claims no knowledge of BlackCore and did not address inquiries about France’s concerns regarding election interference, while France’s own foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comments regarding this issue.
With information from Reuters
