France's Socialist candidate Hamon slams Filllon over probe

Record ID: 355900

  • Title: France's Socialist candidate Hamon slams Filllon over probe
  • Date: 2nd March 2017
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MARCH 2, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF SOCIALIST CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, BENOIT HAMON, ON STAGE AT MEDIA CONFERENCE HAMON WALKING PAST VENUE WHERE HAMON WAS SPEAKING HAMON WALKING PAST (SOUNDBITE) (French) SOCIALIST CANDIDATE TO FOR FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, BENOIT HAMON, SAYING: "What he says means t
  • Embargoed: 16th March 2017 10:46
  • Keywords: Fillon Hamon Fench election job investigation probe
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • City: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA001669OWNB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:French socialist candidate in the upcoming presidential elections Benoit Hamon on Thursday (March 2) slammed his conservative opponent Francois Fillon, over his remarks in a deepening financial scandal involving his wife.
    Former prime minister Fillon revealed on Wednesday (March 1) that investigating magistrates had summoned him to appear before them on March 15 to be placed under formal investigation over allegations that he paid his wife hundreds of thousands of euros of public money to do very little work.
    But he told a news conference he would "fight to the end".
    Hamon criticised Fillon for his stance over the affair.
    "What he says means that in fact he is offended that we are offended that he could have hired his wife with public money without her doing the job, that he wants to preserve his privileges and impunity, something unacceptable to anyone attached to the idea of a functioning democracy. One can make mistakes in life and I don't blame anyone for making mistakes but when those mistakes break the law -- especially when it involves public funds -- it's normal to be held accountable for it and whether your name is Francois Fillon or anything else in France, there is not justice for some and privileges for others," Hamon said.
    New opinion polls continued to show Fillon would fail to make the second round of the April/May election, albeit by a narrow margin. They showed centrist Emmanuel Macron consolidating his status as favourite to win a second-round head-to-head against far right candidate Marine Le Pen, who favours taking France out of the euro.
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