- Title: France's Fillon campaigns in Reunion, faces further legal process
- Date: 12th February 2017
- Summary: ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** POTS CONTAINING TRADITIONAL REUNION CUISINE FILLON EATING FILLON SEATED AT PICNIC TABLE FILLON LEAVING PICNIC WITH REUNION REGIONAL PRESIDENT AND MEMBER OF THE REPUBLICANS, DIDIER ROBERT (LEFT, DARK BLUE SHIRT) VARIOUS OF CHURCH EXTERIORS (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH CONSERVATIVE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, FRANCOIS FILLON, SAYING: "But
- Embargoed: 26th February 2017 15:01
- Keywords: Fillon France Reunion presidential election wife payments scandal
- Location: SAINT-PAUL, REUNION ISLAND, FRANCE
- City: SAINT-PAUL, REUNION ISLAND, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA002637SG93
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: French conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon was greeted by singing supporters as he arrived for a traditional Reunion barbecue feast on Sunday (February 12), as part of a three-day campaign to the French Indian Ocean island.
Back home in France, however, a newspaper reported the financial prosecutor would take further legal steps this week in its investigation into allegations of fake work by Fillon's wife.
The Journal de Dimanche (JDD) cited unidentified sources saying the proceedings would involve both Fillon and his British wife Penelope. Neither Fillon nor his lawyers could immediately be reached for comment.
Before heading to the picnic, Fillon attended mass where the priest gave a sermon containing some possible innuendo aimed at the scandal-hit politician as he spoke about adversaries bringing each other to justice.
Fillon is fighting to keep his presidential campaign alive but has said he will step down if he is put under formal investigation.
Raymond, a supporter of French centrist presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron, said Fillon had low chances of reeling back.
"Considering what has just happened concerning his family, I think it leaves a bad mark and I think he's going to struggle. Even though I'm not on his side I imagine he's going to have a hard time," said Raymond, who also attended the mass.
Opinion polls since the scandal broke almost three weeks ago show him slipping out of the race, with voters turned off by the probe into a report by the Canard Enchaine satirical weekly that his wife was paid hundreds of thousands of euros in taxpayers money for work she may not have done.
After the mass, a journalist questioned Fillon, a devout Catholic and father of five children, on his openness about his Christian faith while running for the presidency of a secular France.
"I'm speaking about my life, it's my own. I am the way I am. "Displaying" is your vision of it," he said.
Although financial and personal scandal has brought an end to many a French political career, the Fillon affair is unprecedented in that it surrounds a candidate elected by an open public vote - a first for his party and a relatively new concept in France. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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