French prosecutors probing alleged foreign interference against hard-left candidates, minister says

Reuters last week revealed that French authorities suspect the campaign, which targeted at least three mayoral ‌candidates from the France Unbowed (LFI) party, was carried out at ‌least in part by an obscure Israeli firm called BlackCore.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez ​said on Wednesday prosecutors ​are probing an alleged ‌foreign interference ​campaign ahead of the March municipal elections that targeted a hard-left party, and pledged to ‌release a full report into the operation. Reuters last week revealed that French authorities suspect the campaign, which targeted at least three mayoral ‌candidates from the France Unbowed (LFI) party, was carried out at ‌least in part by an obscure Israeli firm called BlackCore. The campaign included deceptive websites and social media accounts alleging criminal behaviour, as well as disparaging digital ⁠ads. Questioned ​by one ⁠of the victims, LFI lawmaker Francois Piquemal, Nunez said a probe was under way ⁠into the campaign, which he described as "extremely grave."

Nunez also pledged to release ​in full a report from electoral safety authorities into the ⁠alleged operation, the day after satirical and investigative outlet Le Canard Enchaine reported that ⁠efforts ​were under way to bury the report. Reuters could not independently establish who was behind BlackCore, verify where it was ⁠based, or find any reference to the company in Israeli corporate records.

BlackCore ⁠did not ⁠respond to repeated messages sent via its website and LinkedIn page - both of which were subsequently taken offline.