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French presidential election: Francois Fillon and wife summoned for questioning in payments probe French presidential election: Francois Fillon summoned for questioning by judges investigating payments to wife
(about 3 hours later)
The former frontrunner in France's presidential election and his wife have been summoned for questioning over a deepening payments scandal. The former frontrunner in France's presidential election has been formally summoned for questioning over a deepening scandal involving payments to his wife.
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. Francois Fillon has been called to face magistrates investigating allegations the politician paid family members for fake parliamentary jobs.
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 but refused to step down on Wednesday.
Mr Fillon, who was leading polls until the scandal broke last month, abruptly postponed a high-profile event as investigations continued on Wednesday. He confirmed he had been summoned for questioning over “Penelopegate” on 15 March, claiming that the investigation process had been unfair and amounted to a “political assassination”.
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. “I will answer the summons, I will respect the judges…although what we have seen is not natural,” Mr Fillon said.
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. “I will not cede, I will not give up, I will not withdraw, I will continue to the end because it is democracy that is under attack.”
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 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. He 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.
The list of potential charges include misappropriation of public funds, abuse of public funds and influence trafficking. 
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.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.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.