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| ‘Political assassination’: French presidential candidate Fillon summonsed to face charges | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| French presidential candidate Francois Fillon says he’s received a summons from judicial magistrates on March 15 to face charges. Fillon has been probed over payments made to his wife. He denies all allegations against him. | French presidential candidate Francois Fillon says he’s received a summons from judicial magistrates on March 15 to face charges. Fillon has been probed over payments made to his wife. He denies all allegations against him. |
| “This is unprecedented,” Fillon said in a speech, adding that legal procedure hasn’t been followed. | “This is unprecedented,” Fillon said in a speech, adding that legal procedure hasn’t been followed. |
| Fillon also said he would carry on the presidential campaign, despite the latest developments. | Fillon also said he would carry on the presidential campaign, despite the latest developments. |
| "I won't give in, I won't surrender, I won't pull out, I'll fight to the end," Fillon said. | "I won't give in, I won't surrender, I won't pull out, I'll fight to the end," Fillon said. |
| "Many of my political allies, and the 4 million people who voted for me call this a 'political assassination'," the presidential candidate added. | "Many of my political allies, and the 4 million people who voted for me call this a 'political assassination'," the presidential candidate added. |
| Fillon has been investigated over hundreds of thousands of euro paid to his wife, Penelope. A satirical newspaper called into doubt in January the fact that she actually did the work of a parliamentary assistant, as she was paid for. That was followed by a petition asking Fillon’s wife to return €500,000 of “falsely-earned” income. | |
| The petition said that the amount “seems very exaggerated, since in different interviews you affirm to have ‘never been involved in the political life’ of your husband.” | |
| The scandal has led to Fillon’s plunging in popularity ratings. | |
| The latest opinion polls have been showing that Fillon, once a favorite of the presidential race, would lose the election, with independent candidate Emmanuel Macron becoming the leader of the presidential race, and far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen also among the leading candidates. |