French authorities have warned of Russian disinformation campaigns targeting presidential candidates ahead of the 2027 election. Three politicians—Gabriel Attal, Édouard Philippe, and Raphaël Glucksmann—have been targeted by campaigns attributed to the pro-Russian network 'Storm-1516', linked to Russia's GRU. The campaigns included fake articles and social media clips. While the reach of these campaigns has been limited, some candidates, notably Attal, have used the incidents to position themselves publicly against Russia. The French government agency Viginum has advised candidates not to publicly discuss the campaigns to avoid amplifying them.

A new wildfire in the Landes forest of southwestern France forced the evacuation of 525 people from the village of Luglon and a nearby campsite on Friday, as the blaze burned over 1,100 hectares. Around 500 firefighters and six aircraft were deployed to combat the fire, which started on August 13 and was driven by strong winds amid a severe heatwave. No homes were destroyed, but roads were closed. The fire is the latest in an unprecedented wildfire season in France, with the area burned exceeding the previous record year of 2022. Authorities have arrested 474 people on suspicion of starting fires, including a 15-year-old linked to a July fire near Bordeaux that killed two firefighters.

France's Constitutional Council has approved the law creating a right to assisted dying, legalizing assisted suicide and euthanasia under strict conditions. The court issued three interpretative reservations: private healthcare institutions may refuse to participate if other local facilities can meet patient needs; doctors must consider observations from legal guardians for adults under legal protection; and pharmacists may invoke a conscience clause to refuse preparing lethal medication. The law will take effect once implementing decrees are published, with President Macron expected to promulgate it within 15 days.

French firefighters, represented by nine unions, are escalating their protest for more resources and personnel. After a meeting with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, they announced a major mobilization on September 29. The government promised a modernization bill to be presented on September 8 and potential budget increases in the 2027 budget, but gave no figures. The standoff risks political exploitation ahead of the 2027 presidential election, as the fire season continues.

Background: France's parliament had approved a law banning social media for under-15s, the first in the EU, with staged enforcement from September 2026. On August 14, 2026, the Constitutional Council struck down the law, ruling that the blanket ban disproportionately infringed minors' freedom of expression and communication, and lacked sufficient legal safeguards for age verification and privacy. President Macron has tasked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu with drafting a revised, legally robust version, aiming for enactment before spring 2027. Former PM Gabriel Attal has called for a national referendum under Article 11 of the Constitution, arguing it would be faster than a new legislative process, which could take up to two years. The government is also considering a platform-specific blacklist and alignment with EU Digital Services Act guidelines.

Russia has intensified information warfare in Africa, particularly in the Sahel (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger), using outlets like African Initiative and local relays to spread anti-French narratives and bolster its own influence. French state service Viginum identifies these as coordinated interference operations, with 19 campaigns since 2018, aiming to displace former colonial powers and gain economic footholds.

Background: AC!! Anti-Corruption had filed a complaint on August 7 against unknown persons over alleged misuse of public funds and fictitious employment at RATP involving Saint-Denis mayor Bally Bagayoko. On August 12, the association filed a second complaint with the French National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF), expanding allegations to a systematic scheme of about 200 elected officials of all political stripes employed by RATP, adding the offense of concussion. The complaint alleges contracts created without operational justification and political pressure to maintain them, based on new Canard enchaîné revelations from a book by former RATP executive Jacques Marsaud, who claimed to have coordinated a network of about 200 elected officials. Saint-Denis mayor Bally Bagayoko publicly denied the allegations, asserting he was recruited on merit and that being an elected official is not a job, while LFI leaders accused the journalist of bias. RATP reiterated its denial of any sham jobs, stating it follows legal rules for elected officials' absences and is ready to provide documents to justice. Valérie Pécresse, head of Île-de-France Mobilités, demanded full transparency on RATP's recruitment policies.

Background: ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher has previously warned that Europe is underfunded and fragmented in space, needing to double investment to compete with the US. Today: Aschbacher now warns that Europe could face a shortage of rockets by 2030 as demand from new satellite constellations like Iris2 and expansions of Galileo and Copernicus outpace European launch capacity. With only seven launches in 2025 (four Ariane 6, three Vega C) versus SpaceX's 170 launches and ~2,500 satellites, the gap underscores the urgency for strategic autonomy. The issue is expected to be discussed at the International Space Summit in Paris on 9-10 September, organized by France and Germany.