A text aimed at addressing French vulnerabilities as the Olympic Games approach?
The National Assembly adopted on Wednesday at first reading a proposed Renaissance law intended to combat foreign interference.
The text notably provides for an experiment allowing intelligence services to use algorithmic surveillance techniques for this purpose, currently reserved for anti-terrorism.
It was largely adopted by 171 votes to 25, despite certain fears on the left over the wording of the text and potential repercussions for individual freedoms.
It will now go to the Senate.
✅🏛️ Fight against foreign interference: the National Assembly adopts, at first reading, the bill aimed at "preventing foreign interference in France", carried by @SachaHoulie, by 171 votes against 25.#DirectAN pic.twitter. com/j1FLkIKrgP
— LCP (@LCP) March 27, 2024
Last November, a report from the Parliamentary Intelligence Delegation that we consulted exclusively highlighted France's persistent flaws in the fight against foreign interference.
These failures were notably highlighted by the Pegasus affair, involving the possible espionage of several political leaders, including the personal telephone of Emmanuel Macron as well as those of 14 ministers then in office.
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“Russia, for its democratic destabilization maneuvers, China, for economic predation, Iran for its hostage strategy and Turkey with its cult influence”, then summarized the president of the law committee in the Assembly, Sacha Houlié.
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The use of algorithmic surveillance techniques entered the political debate at the start of 2023, when the National Assembly voted for the use of “intelligent” video surveillance, a sort of automated video surveillance during the Paris Olympic Games. (from July 26 to August 11, 2024).
The law which had been criticized by the left and associations, who warned of the dangers of these technologies and questioned their intrusive nature.