France · March 15, 2026
France 2026 Municipal Elections
France held thousands of municipal contests on 15 and 22 March 2026. The Ministry of the Interior reports first-round turnout of 57.1%. VIGINUM documented four foreign digital interference campaigns during the cycle, including Storm-1516, Rokh Solis and a seven-operation Storm-1679/Matryoshka cluster, while keeping measured reach separate from the existence of the operations.
What is established · 4
VIGINUM detected and characterised four foreign digital interference campaigns specifically targeting the 2026 municipal election period.
Storm-1516 targeted Paris mayoral candidate Pierre-Yves Bournazel with a false narrative laundered through a site imitating his campaign design and amplified by coordinated accounts.
Rokh Solis used fabricated sites and coordinated cross-platform relays to attack La France Insoumise and specific municipal candidates with false or misleading narratives.
VIGINUM imputed seven information operations targeting the municipal election to Storm-1679/Matryoshka. The cases used fabricated media and institutional reports to suggest the elections could not be held in good security conditions, and to allege vote manipulation — including claims about proxy-vote registrations among elderly and disabled voters.
What is not established · 2
Broad audience impact is not established: VIGINUM reported limited reach for the Bournazel operation and low online visibility for Rokh Solis.
The cited interference reports document manipulation of public debate, not alteration of ballots, counting or certified municipal results.
Evidence used in this case · 3
- 2026 municipal and community elections: first- and second-round figuresofficial report
- Protecting public debate from foreign digital interference during France's March 2026 municipal electionsofficial report
- Rokh Solis: information operation targeting France's March 2026 municipal electionsofficial report