French court rejects pro-Kremlin commentator's expulsion challenge

A Paris court has dismissed a plea from pro-Kremlin commentator Xenia Fedorova to suspend her expulsion from France. The administrative court ruled that Fedorova failed to demonstrate "extreme urgency," a requirement for her specific legal challenge. This decision comes as Fedorova remains abroad on vacation and has stated she will not return to France until the expulsion order is lifted.

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My client was already abroad, on vacation, when she was informed of the measures taken against her. She does not plan to return to France until the expulsion order has been suspended or annulled.

Fedorova's lawyer, Emmanuel Piwnica, confirmed his client was on holiday when informed of the expulsion and asset freeze measures. He expressed "great regret" over the court's decision, emphasizing that Fedorova's return is contingent on the suspension or annulment of the expulsion order. The court noted that Fedorova had not specified any personal hardships resulting from the expulsion, beyond a general inconvenience regarding a required check-in procedure.

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the judge of summary proceedings considered that the condition of extreme urgency could not be retained.

The commentator, who appears on French media outlets like CNews and Europe 1, faces accusations of acting as a "relay for disinformation campaigns orchestrated by Russian authorities" aimed at disrupting public order in France. The government views the expulsion as a necessary measure in combating foreign interference, while some media groups, including Canal+ and Lagardère, have decried it as an attack on freedom of expression.

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a relay for disinformation campaigns orchestrated by Russian authorities to destabilize public order.