French “Penelopegate” scandal

February 2, 2017 - Presidential candidate Francois Fillon is fighting to save his campaign after allegations that public funds were wrongly paid to his wife Penelope. Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Front is now ahead of Fillon in polls.

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Satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine published allegations of pay for fake work on January 24 and February 1.

They include €831,440 paid to Penelope Fillon as a parliamentary assistant to Fillon and his successor. €84,000 to two children employed as lawyers — it later emerged that they had not graduated at that stage, and €100,000 to Ms Fillon as a literary adviser from a magazine owned by Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière, a billionaire and supporter of Fillon. Le Canard alleges that she did little work.

Fillon denies wrongdoing, but opinion polls show support for Fillon eroding fast to the benefit of Le Pen and former economy minister, Emmanuel Macron, who is running as an independent.