French cybersecurity agency Viginum publicly accused Israeli digital firm BlackCore of interfering in the March 2026 French municipal elections, targeting the France Insoumise party with fake websites and inauthentic social media accounts across platforms [1, 2].
BlackCore is also suspected of involvement in other election interference operations worldwide. It allegedly targeted the 2025 New York City mayoral election won by Zohran Mamdani, Scottish elections in early 2026, and polls in Angola and Togo [1, 3, 2]. Marc-Antoine Brillant, head of Viginum, said the activities "are not limited to French municipal elections. This company seems also to conduct foreign digital interference in Angola, Togo, Scotland, and the 2025 New York municipal election" [1].
Between January 6 and May 8, 2026, BlackCore used at least 256 proxy accounts on the social media platform X to post about 1,400 comments targeting Scottish First Minister John Swinney, the Scottish National Party, and government accounts. Swinney’s account was targeted 652 times, SNP accounts 338 times, and Scottish government accounts 112 times [3]. The campaign involved coordinated posting with fake and proxy accounts.
Viginum has not identified who commissioned BlackCore or sponsors its operations. Brillant said, "Our investigations did not make it possible to identify the sponsor or sponsors, if indeed they exist, behind this foreign digital interference" [3].
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said France has asked Israel for explanations and help investigating BlackCore’s activities. He declared, "If a French private group engaged in foreign digital interference targeting Israel, we would demand the same from Israel’s ambassador to France. This is beyond doubt" [1].
Israel confirmed receipt of France’s request and denied any intention to interfere in French politics. An Israeli embassy spokesperson said, "Israel certainly has no intention to interfere in the French political process, neither nationally nor locally" [1].
BlackCore scrubbed its website and did not respond to media inquiries about the allegations [3].
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez confirmed discovering BlackCore's modus operandi in May 2026 and said judicial authorities have been notified [2]. The French government plans to strengthen electoral safeguards including faster legal procedures against information manipulation [2].
On June 11, 2026, Prime Minister Lecornu and Viginum’s Brillant held a press conference detailing the interference findings [1, 3, 2]. Israel confirmed receiving France’s request for investigation on June 12, 2026 [1, 2].
