It is not obvious who initiated the hack, which amounted to up to nine gigabytes of data. A user by the name of EMLEAKS posted the material to a file-sharing medium that lets users stay anonymous.
The Macron camp said they would stop at nothing to get clarification on the nature of the unprecedented operation. "The data in circulation had been obtained several weeks ago through the hacking of private and work email accounts of several movement leaders," a statement on the website of Macron’s Onwards! Party reads.
"Those who leaked these documents add numerous fake documents to authentic ones to spread doubt and disinformation. By interfering with the official election campaign at the last moment, this operation obviously aims at destabilizing democracy, as seen in the US during the last weeks of the presidential campaign," the statement went on to say.
Democratic presidential Hillary Clinton’s emails also ended up on the internet last year during her race against eventual victor Donald Trump, a steady drip of information that she has said contributed to her stunning loss.
“Their publication makes internal documents public,” Onwards! said. But the hack has not sparked anxiety “as far as the legality and conformity of the documents is concerned,” the party contends.
Nevertheless, the party said “the seriousness of this event is certain,” adding that France “shall not tolerate that the vital interests of democracy be put at risk.”
