Background: The Paris prosecutor's office had opened a formal investigation into suspected Russian interference targeting French presidential candidates Gabriel Attal and Édouard Philippe, following Attal's complaint and a fake video about Philippe's health. Today, two new suspected Russian interference operations against Attal were reported, bringing the total to four in two weeks. The operations included ten fake reports and fake newspaper front pages on social media, and an AI-generated video projecting caricatures of Attal onto the Pantheon. Attal and Glucksmann have filed complaints, and the investigation now covers multiple candidates. As of August 21, two additional suspected Russian interference operations targeting Attal were reported, bringing the total to four in two weeks. One operation involved ten fake reports and fake newspaper front pages circulated on social media on August 20, spreading false information about Attal's health and corruption allegations. The second, on August 12, featured an AI-generated video projecting caricatures of Attal onto the Pantheon in Paris, including insulting messages. Attal's lawyers confirmed a complaint filed on August 7, and Glucksmann filed a similar complaint on August 12. The Paris prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into foreign interference targeting Attal, Philippe, and Glucksmann.

The Inspection générale des finances (IGF) has published a report warning that if no budget is voted for 2027 and the special law is extended instead, France could face a deficit increase of at least 0.5% of GDP, an automatic rise in income tax for all, and a loss of fiscal maneuverability for the next government. The report comes as the government struggles to secure budget passage in a presidential election year.

French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin met with victims of convicted surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec in Vannes, Morbihan, on August 21, 2025, as a new judicial investigation opened into approximately 50 additional alleged offenses. Le Scouarnec, 75, was sentenced in spring 2025 to 20 years in prison for sexual violence against 299 patients, mostly minors under anesthesia. Victims' spokesperson Manon Lemoine questioned the timing of the meeting, citing initial investigative shortcomings and a lack of resources, noting that victims' names were already in the surgeon's notebooks. The meeting aims to address concerns and increase judicial means.

Raphaël Glucksmann, MEP and leader of Place Publique, announced his candidacy for the 2027 French presidential election on August 23, 2025, on TF1. He will compete in a socialist primary organized with the Socialist Party in October, aiming to unite the social-democratic left. His campaign emphasizes a break with La France Insoumise, support from former Macronists and ecologists, and a program focused on boosting workers' net pay, taxing mega-inheritances, and investing in education, defense, reindustrialization, and ecological transition. Polls show him with 8-12% of first-round voting intentions, positioning him as a key contender against far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

At their summer days in Grenoble, the French Green party (Les Écologistes) is deeply divided over whether to back Jean-Luc Mélenchon (LFI) or ally with Raphaël Glucksmann (Place Publique) for the 2027 presidential election. Party leader Marine Tondelier, confirmed as the party's candidate, is temporizing and considering a member consultation, facing pressure from Sandrine Rousseau (pro-Mélenchon) and Yannick Jadot (pro-Glucksmann).

Background: The French government had previously announced plans to double the annual cap on medical deductibles from €100 to €200 to save €1-2 billion. Today, the government has abandoned that plan after criticism from patient groups and health professionals. Instead, the cap will be increased modestly, indexed to inflation since 2005. Health Minister Stéphanie Rist announced the reversal, citing the need for a fairer and more understandable reform. The revised plan comes as France seeks savings ahead of the 2027 budgets, with the social security deficit exceeding €21 billion in 2025. The 2026 social security budget provides for health spending to increase by 3.1 percent, or €8.2 billion. Four decrees due to be published by the end of this week will also change reimbursement for certain medicines and medical devices whose effectiveness is judged lower by the National Authority for Health. People with long-term illnesses will not be affected when the medicines concerned are used to treat their condition, covering 14 million people. Those receiving France's subsidised complementary health cover will also be protected.

Marine Le Pen, the National Rally presidential candidate, publicly criticized France's record borrowing costs and promised to 'clean the Augean stables' of state finances, blaming President Emmanuel Macron's ten-year record. Her remarks drew sharp responses from former economy minister Bruno Le Maire and current minister Antoine Armand, who accused the RN of opposing necessary savings measures. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu also denied rumors of budget cuts, such as scrapping student housing aid, amid rising political tensions over fiscal policy.

Manon Aubry, MEP for La France insoumise, stated the party is open to discussions with other left-wing forces but refuses to waste time in meetings without clear candidates or programs. She emphasized Jean-Luc Mélenchon's momentum, citing over 345,000 sponsorships for his 2027 presidential bid, and highlighted the party's summer universities as the largest political gathering ever organized. Aubry reiterated the party's commitment to a break with Macronism and its focus on winning the presidency.