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How is the role of the journalist seen by candidates and activists in the fight against the rapid and massive circulation of false information in electoral campaigns? This questioning of the perception of the role of local journalists in the dissemination of fake news emerged during the conduct of our empirical investigation into the case of the municipal election in Angers in 2020. It quickly emerged from the interviews with the activists that there was a climate of fear around the use of social media, justified by the fear of fake news and its widespread dissemination, even by those who are supposed to fight against it. We will see that there is great distrust between candidates and journalists: the former accuse the latter of participating in disinformation campaigns, favoring sensationalism and controversy over analysis. These accusations by politicians contribute to the denigration of the profession of the journalist and question the specificities of the local fight against fake news.