Léandre Lebon (LinkedIn) is a first‑year PhD researcher in political science at the Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Rennes, based in Rennes, France.
Their research explores how disinformation interacts with public decision-making at local level. It focused on how disinformation can, one the one hand, influence political and administrative work of municipalities, and, on the other hand, adapt and react to it by building policy responses to disinformation.
- Industry relevance tags: Digital governance, Public policy, Democracy, Sustainability & society
- Core research problem: How political disinformation reshapes the work of municipalities and local governance, affecting democratic processes and administrative decision-making.
Léandre Lebon, The Short Version
- LinkedIn: Léandre Lebon
- University: University of Rennes, Faculty of Law and Political Science
- Location: Rennes, France
Léandre Lebon is a first‑year PhD researcher in political science at the University of Rennes, studying the effects of political disinformation on municipalities.
Their work focuses on how local political and administrative bodies adapt their practices when confronted with sustained misinformation campaigns.
Before starting their PhD, they worked for three years in Brussels on digital rights and EU affairs.
Outside academia, they draw energy from local civic initiatives, cultural events, and community‑driven projects.
When Disinformation Becomes a Local Governance Issue
Léandre’s doctoral research examines political disinformation not only as a threat to elections or public opinion, but as a structural challenge for municipalities. Their studies how misinformation reshapes the daily work of local elected officials and civil servants, affecting decision‑making, communication strategies, and institutional trust.
By focusing on the municipal level, their work highlights how global and national disinformation dynamics translate into very concrete local constraints.
Municipalities often lack the resources, expertise, or legal tools to respond effectively, yet they are on the frontline of citizen interaction.
A Strong Policy‑Oriented Background
Before starting their PhD, Léandre spent three years working in Brussels in the fields of digital rights and EU affairs. This experience shaped their interest in digital governance, public policy, and the practical implications of regulation.
Their academic work is therefore deeply informed by policy practice, especially at the European and international levels.
Digital Sovereignty, Rights, and Governance
Beyond disinformation, Léandre is broadly interested in digital affairs. Their curiosity spans EU and international digital policies, digital sovereignty, AI governance, the use of technology in migration policies, and digital human rights.
These interests reflect a consistent concern with how technology reshapes power, rights, and institutional responsibility.
Looking Beyond Academia
Léandre does not plan to remain on a traditional academic career path after their PhD. Instead, they aim to work in environments where research directly informs policy making and implementation.
They are particularly interested in connecting with public entities, international organizations, think tanks, associations, and corporate public affairs or policy teams.
Understanding how research expertise can be valued and mobilized outside academia is a central motivation for them.
Why TESE Days Matter
Participating in TESE Days represents a concrete step toward their transition. Léandre sees it as an opportunity to adopt a more applied, international mindset early on, and to better understand how research, innovation, and policy interact at the European level.
They are especially interested in learning about multisector collaboration and influence strategies, and in strengthening their ability to communicate complex political and digital issues to diverse audiences.
Inspired by Civic Life and Culture
Outside of work, Léandre is inspired by local initiatives led by associations and community groups that aim to improve society with limited resources but strong commitment.
Cultural experiences, concerts, participative dinners, conferences, and time spent outdoors are essential to how they maintain balance, curiosity, and perspective.
Skills they Want to Strengthen
Looking ahead, Léandre wants to further develop their ability to bridge disciplines, coordinate teams, and communicate complex ideas clearly, especially in English.
Their ambition is to become someone who can move fluently between research, policy, and practice, translating analysis into action.
“I want my research to be useful where decisions are actually made.”