In the Crosshairs. France as a Target of Russia’s Malign Interference
Hybrid warfare and FIMI add to the threat that the rise of radical parties entails for French democracy. With its polarized political scene, within which radical parties have prospered in recent years, and its media arena dominated by populist outlets that push public opinion to lean towards the far right, France is particularly vulnerable to FIMI. Unsolved tensions within the French model of national identity subsequently become potentially explosive in these circumstances. Yet authoritarian countries with malicious intentions against the French social model and European values more generally – Russia but also China, Azerbaijan and Turkey – are eager to exploit these tensions in order to sow chaos, or even ignite in the worst case scenario a civil war.
Public task financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland within the grant competition “Public Diplomacy 2024 – 2025 – the European dimension and countering disinformation.
The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of the official positions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.
