French authorities probe Israeli firm’s alleged interference in local elections  – POLITICO

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Her remarks came after reports from Reuters, Haaretz and Libération that France Unbowed lawmaker François Piquemal, who advanced to the runoff in the Toulouse mayoral race but lost in the second round, was among those targeted.

The allegations come on the heels of accusations by Slovenian law enforcement earlier this year that an Israeli private intelligence firm had helped leak recordings designed to influence the election in Slovenia in March.

The Israeli Embassy in Paris did not respond to a request for comment from POLITICO.

Piquemal, who was arrested by Israeli authorities last year alongside activist Greta Thunberg on a so-called Freedom Flotilla attempting to carry humanitarian aid to Gaza, said Wednesday he would try to have the results of the second round of the Toulouse race invalidated over the alleged foreign interference.

During questions to the government in parliament later in the day, Piquemal denounced what he called “facts of extreme gravity for our country’s sovereignty” and warned such efforts could threaten the integrity of next year’s presidential election in France.

He also asked if the government would summon “the Israeli ambassador to ask for an explanation.”