Russia denies French election interference claims

Russia rejected accusations on Tuesday that it was trying to influence France's 2027 presidential election, calling the allegations “anti-Russian propaganda”.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow was not surprised by attempts to accuse Russia of interfering in the campaign. She suggested candidates were using claims about a Russian threat to support their own campaigns.

France is due to elect a successor to President Emmanuel Macron, who is barred by term limits from running again. The first round of voting is scheduled for April 2027.

The French government is wary that Russia could try to sway the vote in favour of a more Kremlin-friendly candidate during the Ukraine war.

Prosecutors have launched a probe into suspected Russian disinformation campaigns targeting former prime ministers Edouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal, the two main centrist candidates, as well as centre-left candidate Raphael Glucksmann.

Far-right politician Marine Le Pen is expected to reach the second round, while several other candidates, including hard-left contender Jean-Luc Melenchon, are competing for second place, according to recent polling.