François Asselineau

Asselineau claims that a Romanian judicial decision proved that annulment of the 2024 presidential election was unlawful and based on 'false evidence' of Russian interference. Factoscope establishes that the cited decision concerned separate criminal proceedings targeting Călin Georgescu and had no legal connection with the Constitutional Court's decision annulling the election.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Asselineau shares a video claiming that Volodymyr Zelensky's mother-in-law purchased a luxury villa in Egypt for approximately five million dollars, and infers corruption and embezzlement of Western funds. A 20 Minutes fact-check finds no evidence of the transaction and notes that the source video does not show the documents it claims to possess.

Attribution

Directly implicated

At the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Asselineau appears in alternative media to denounce what he considers one-sided Western coverage and describes Volodymyr Zelensky as a 'swindler' and someone 'in league with organised crime'. The remarks reinforce criticism of his pro-Russian stance.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

In April 2020, a majority of the UPR national executive and numerous party officials demand Asselineau's resignation, citing acts of 'exceptional gravity', behaviour towards colleagues and disputed internal management. Criminal complaints follow.

State of the evidence

Allegations

Attribution

Direct responsibility

The UPR broadcasts a lengthy interview between Asselineau and Louis Fouché about vaccines, Covid-19 and the media. The organisation subsequently adds a note acknowledging that one statement in the video relies on an Australian video 'visibly misleading' in purportedly showing a simulated vaccination.

State of the evidence

Documented

On France 2, Asselineau displays a map he describes as a document circulating in the European Parliament and revealing a plan to 'break up' nation states, including France. Le Monde traces the document to an amateur map published by Eurominority, with no established institutional connection to the European Union.

Attribution

Personally implicated

Following the Khan Sheikhoun chemical attack, Asselineau refuses on Franceinfo to attribute responsibility immediately to the Syrian regime, citing what he considers insufficient evidence. The programme displays the caption 'Asselineau, candidate of conspiracy theorists?', sparking a lasting dispute with the UPR.

State of the evidence

Reported by the press

Attribution

Personally implicated

During the 2017 presidential campaign, Asselineau advances several arguments attributing decisive influence to the United States over a wide range of French issues, from territorial reform to the media. He notably compares the size of France's new regions with that of US states and claims these coincidences cannot be accidental.

State of the evidence

Reported by the press

Attribution

Personally implicated

Asselineau makes banning RFID 'microchipping' of human beings part of his presidential programme, linking it to risks of widespread surveillance and a totalitarian future. This emphasis is criticised as greatly exaggerating practices that were then marginal and voluntary.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

During the presidential debate involving eleven candidates, Asselineau claims that French governments considered Al-Nusra was 'doing a good job'. Le Monde's fact-check shows that the phrase attributed to Laurent Fabius came from a quotation reporting the position of Arab countries, while the minister himself warned of Al-Nusra's links with Al-Qaeda.

Attribution

Personally implicated

François Asselineau leads a UPR delegation to Crimea one year after Russia's annexation of the peninsula, attends the 9 May ceremonies in Sevastopol and publicly defends the legitimacy of the 2014 referendum. The initiative fuels lasting criticism of his pro-Russian and anti-Atlanticist stance.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility