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French presidential election: Francois Fillon's wife held for questioning in payments probe French presidential election: Francois Fillon and wife summoned for questioning in payments probe
(35 minutes later)
The wife of the former frontrunner in France's presidential election has been held for questioning over a deepening payments scandal. The former frontrunner in France's presidential election and his wife have been summoned for questioning over a deepening payments scandal.
Francois Fillon's wife, Penelope, had been summoned alongside her husband by magistrates investigating allegations the politician paid family members for fake parliamentary jobs. Sources told Mediapart Francois Fillon's wife, Penelope, was in custody amid searches by investigators but other media outlets said she was not being held.
Mr Fillon, who was leading polls until the scandal broke last month, abruptly postponed a high-profile event as investigations continued on Wednesday. The couple had been summoned by magistrates investigating allegations the politician paid family members for fake parliamentary jobs, the Journal du Dimanche reported.
Mr Fillon, who was leading polls until the scandal broke last month, abruptly postponed a high-profile event as investigations continued on Wednesday.
Instead of making a scheduled appearance at the international agricultural salon, he was expected to make a speech from his campaign headquarters later in the day.
Sources said he had called meetings with leading members of his party, intensifying speculation he was going to step down from France's presidential race.
He faces a full judicial inquiry into the so-called “Penelopegate” affair but has backtracked from a previous pledge that he would stand down in the event of an official probe being launched.He faces a full judicial inquiry into the so-called “Penelopegate” affair but has backtracked from a previous pledge that he would stand down in the event of an official probe being launched.
Mr Fillon has denied wrongdoing, and says his wife was paid hundreds of thousands of euros for genuine work as his parliamentary assistant, though he has acknowledged giving her the work was an error of judgement. Mr Fillon has denied wrongdoing, and says his wife was paid hundreds of thousands of euros for genuine work as his parliamentary assistant, though he has acknowledged giving her the work was an error of judgement.
More to follow The former Prime Minister, who is running for the centre-right Républicains, battled down a rebellion by members of his party last month and insisted his withdrawal from the race would destabilise their campaign.
Opinion polls currently put him lagging in third place for the first round of the French election, behind Front National leader Marine Le Pen and centre-left independent candidate Emmanuel Macron.
The two front-runners are just a handful of percentage points apart in polls, with most putting Ms Le Pen narrowly ahead in the first round but predicting a heavy defeat to Mr Macron in the second and decisive vote.