Monday

25th Sep 2023

Fillon to be charged, will not withdraw from election

  • Francois Fillon with his wife Penelope: "I did not misappropriate public money, it's a political assassination". (Photo: Reuters/Pascal Rossignol)

Francois Fillon, the centre-right candidate in the French presidential election, will continue to run despite being soon charged in an embezzlement case.



"I won't give up. I won't surrender. I won't withdraw," he said on Wednesday (1 March).

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

In a press point without questions announced just hours before it took place, Fillon said he had been summoned by judges to appear on 15 March to be charged in a case of alleged fake jobs for family members.


He is suspected of having paid his wife €680,380 as a parliamentary assistant at different times between 1986 and 2013, even though she appears not to have worked in the National Assembly.

He is also suspected of having paid two of his children as parliamentary assistant in the Senate a cost of €84,000. 



A preliminary investigation was opened in late January after revelations in the press and a formal case was opened last week.

Fillon said January "the only thing that would prevent me from being a candidate would be if my honour was hit, if I was charged".

He said on Wednesday that the whole affair was a "political assassination", however.

"I was not treated as other people answerable to the law," he said.

"The preliminary investigation was opened in a few hours, the minutes were leaked to the press within a few hours without the justice minister being disturbed," he said.

He said that "the rule of law was systematically violated".

He noted that he would be charged just before the official deadline to file a presidential candidacy.

He said that the investigation against him was "an assassination of the presidential election" and of the freedom to vote.



"I appeal to the French people and to itself alone," he said. "Only universal suffrage, not an accusatory procedure, can decide who is the next president of the republic."

Fillon said he would go to the judges because he was "respectful of the institutions".

This stands in contrast to far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who refused a judge's summons in a case of suspected fake jobs in the European Parliament.

Fillon said he would tell judges "the truth".

"I don't admit [accusations]. I did not misappropriate public money … My family actually assisted me and I will demonstrate it," he said.

Fillon's statement cut short rumours of withdrawal that ran across Paris after he did not show up at a planned visit to the city's agriculture fair.

Going to the fair is a must-do for politicians, especially ahead of a presidential vote.

The centre-right candidate, who was chosen in a primary election in which more than 4 million people voted, was considered as a favourite to win the presidential election. 



But the accusations against his wife and children have hurt his campaign, which he had run on a theme of truth and honesty.



Call to 'resist'

In the most recent poll, Fillon (20%) was third in voting intentions, far behind far-right leader Marine Le Pen (27%) and independent candidate Emmanuel Macron (25%).

But Fillon's Republicans party does not appear to be in a position to replace its candidate.

Alain Juppe, who lost to Fillon in the primary, has said that he would not be an alternative candidate.

Other, younger potential candidates do not have enough support within the party to be considered as credible replacements.

Fillon called on his supporters to "resist".

"Don't be mistaken. Don't let anyone deprive you of your choice," he told them. "My determination is bigger than accusations against me."

The first round of the election is on 23 April, with a run-off on 7 May.

Le Pen wants to 'do away' with EU

The far-right presidential candidate said that she would create a "Europe of free nations", while taking France out of Nato command and "tie up" Russia to Europe.

France's Macron issues Brexit warning

The centrist presidential candidate tells talented Britons to come to France and warns against giving the UK "undue advantages" after Brexit, in a speech in London.

French police raid Le Pen's party office

Officers raid the National Front headquarters near Paris over allegations that leader Marine Le Pen used fake EU parliament contracts to pay her personal staff.

European right hopes Macron will save France

With Fillion all-but out of the election, a senior European politician said "committees" are working on what to do if Le Pen wins and takes France out of the EU.

Agenda

Spain's EU-language bid and UN summit This WEEK

While the heads of EU institutions are in New York for the UN high level meeting, Spain's EU presidency will try to convince ministers to make Catalan, Basque, and Galician official EU languages.

Latest News

  1. Women at risk from shoddy EU laws on domestic workers
  2. EU poised to agree on weakened emission rules
  3. China trade tension and migration deal This WEEK
  4. Europe's energy strategy: A tale of competing priorities
  5. Why Greek state workers are protesting new labour law
  6. Gloves off, as Polish ruling party fights for power
  7. Here's the headline of every op-ed imploring something to stop
  8. Report: Tax richest 0.5%, raise €213bn for EU coffers

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators, industry & healthcare experts at the 24th IMDRF session, September 25-26, Berlin. Register by 20 Sept to join in person or online.
  2. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  3. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  4. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators & industry experts at the 24th IMDRF session- Berlin September 25-26. Register early for discounted hotel rates
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch
  6. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  2. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  3. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics
  6. EFBWWEFBWW calls for the EC to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us