News | Latest Breaking News Stories & Headlines

Former French prime minister Francois Fillon and his wife Penelope found guilty

Former French PM Fillon jailed over fake job for wife

A French court has handed former prime minister Francois Fillon a five-year prison sentence, with three years suspended, after convicting him on charges of setting up a fake job for his wife.

World • 29 Jun 20

Francois Fillon (C) and his wife Penelope (R) arrive at the Paris courthouse

French court delays trial for ex-prime minister Fillon

Former French prime minister Francois Fillon and his wife Penelope have appeared in court over claims they embezzled over €1m in an alleged fake-jobs fraud.

World • 24 Feb 20

Fillon's wife placed under formal investigation

The campaign of French presidential candidate Francois Fillon suffered another setback when magistrates placed his wife under formal investigation over allegations that he paid her for a fake parliamentary job.

World • 29 Mar 17

The rules will apply starting with the next general election, currently scheduled for 2020

British MPs to be banned from hiring family members

Britain will ban new MPs from employing spouses, relatives or business associates, according to rules announced today in the wake of a scandal that has rocked France's presidential election.

Politics • 16 Mar 17

Alain Juppe (R) was defeated by Francois Fillon in the centre-right primaries in November

Juppe changes tone and backs Fillon in French race

Former French prime minister Alain Juppe has said he is backing Francois Fillon's presidential bid and would be one of his official sponsors, only days after slamming his fellow conservative in a speech.

Politics • 10 Mar 17

Francois Fillon (C) at a campiagn rally in Paris today with his wife Penelope (L)

Fillon: No one can stop me standing in French election

Embattled French conservative candidate Francois Fillon said today "no one" could stop him standing in the presidential election despite calls from within his own party to quit over an expenses scandal.

News • 05 Mar 17

Francois Fillon arrives at a presidential campaign political rally in Nimes, Southern France, earlier today

Police raid Francois Fillon's home in fake jobs probe

French conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon's shrinking supporter base has been eroded further, a day after news that he faces a formal investigation for allegations he misused public funds.

News • 02 Mar 17

Francois Fillon says his wife did carry out proper duties

Fillon will not withdraw despite formal investigation

French presidential candidate Francois Fillon has described a judicial inquiry into a "fake work" scandal involving his wife as "political assassination".

News • 01 Mar 17

Marine Le Pen said that she formally denied any wrongdoing

Le Pen's chief of staff under formal investigation

The chief of staff of French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been placed under formal investigation after a day of questioning over the alleged misuse of EU funds to pay parliamentary assistants, a judicial source said.

News • 22 Feb 17

Emmanuel Macron has never held elected office

Bayrou backing boosts Macron in French election

An influential French centrist politician has dropped out of the presidency race to form an alliance with independent candidate Emmanuel Macron, a potential game-changer in France's tightly contested election.

News • 22 Feb 17

Benoit Hamon and Jean-Luc Melenchon have very different views on Europe

Leftist candidates may work together in France

The two main left-leaning candidates in France's presidential election are holding talks on possible cooperation, a move that could potentially put one of them in contention to reach the crucial election runoff.

News • 17 Feb 17

Francois Fillon has said he will step down if he is placed under formal investigation

Prosecutor to continue Fillon probe

France's financial prosecutor has announced that an investigation into fake work allegations surrounding presidential candidate Francois Fillon will remain open, in a new blow to the ex-prime minister's campaign.

News • 16 Feb 17

Francois Hollande has requested a range of measures

France plans cyber security measures for election

Cyber security in the context of the upcoming French presidential election will be on the agenda at the government's next weekly security council meeting, a statement from President Francois Hollande's office said.

News • 15 Feb 17

France's Macron target of Russian 'fake news'

French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron is a "fake news" target of Russian media and his campaign is facing thousands of cyber attacks, his party chief has said.

News • 14 Feb 17

Francois Fillon said that he would continue in the presidential race after coming under pressure to quit

Fillon apologises for 'error' of hiring wife

French presidential candidate Francois Fillon has apologised for the "error" he made in hiring his wife as a parliamentary aide while denying she was paid for a fake job.

News • 06 Feb 17

Francois Fillon's presidential campaign has been overshadowed by growing scandal focused on whether his wife Penelope worked for him or not

Pressure grows on Fillon to drop presidency run

Pressure on French presidential candidate Francois Fillon to pull out of the race is mounting as some politicians in his own camp urged him to drop his scandal-tainted bid in order to save the conservatives from defeat.

News • 02 Feb 17

Francois Fillon, a conservative, is currently the frontrunner in opinion polls

Fillon rejects claim wife's assistant job was fake

Former French prime minister Francois Fillon said tonight he will stick to his presidential bid, rejecting press allegations that his wife drew a salary as his assistant but never actually worked.

Politics • 26 Jan 17

Opinion polls show social conservative Francois Fillon in the lead

Fillon takes French conservative nomination

Francois Fillon, a socially conservative free-marketeer, has won France's centre-right presidential primaries, setting up a likely showdown next year with far-right leader Marine Le Pen that the pollsters expect him to win.

News • 27 Nov 16

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy pictured voting in Paris earlier today

Sarkozy concedes defeat in French primary

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy conceded defeat in the first round of the right-wing presidential primary after finishing third behind two former prime ministers.

World • 20 Nov 16