Russia’s Attempts to Influence the Presidential Election in France

The Polish Institute of International Affairs is an analytical institution established by an act of Parliament in 1996 to carry out research and provide expertise in international affairs. PISM disseminates information on contemporary international issues and maintains contacts with academic and political centres in Poland and abroad. The Institute runs courses for public servants, maintains a library (open to the public; 165,000 books and journals), organises conferences, and publishes books, periodicals and documents on Polish foreign policy and international matters.

The funding for PISM comes from the budget. The director is appointed by the prime minister for a term of five years, following consultation with the minister of foreign affairs. The minister supervises the Institute and appoints its advisory council, which includes a representative of the President of the Republic of Poland, academics and officials.Russia built in France a network of political, economic and media influencers, which had an impact on a significant part of the French elite and general public. Moscow had been using this network in the 2017 French presidential election campaign, to support those politicians who sympathised with Russian politics. Yet the rising popularity of socio-liberal candidate Emmanuel Macron, who was least favourable for Russia, proved a real test for the effectiveness of these influencers.