Media: Conservative French presidential candidate resigns

Baku. 1 March. REPORT.AZ/ François Fillon the conservative French presidential candidate whose campaign has been hit by a legal investigation, has postponed a planned visit to the annual Paris farm fair at the last minute without giving a reason.

Report informs citing the TASS. 

According to information, Fillon has been under pressure over allegations that he paid family members for fake parliamentary jobs.

He faces a full judicial inquiry into the allegations after the country’s financial prosecutor said last week she was appointing a magistrate to lead a deeper investigation.

“The visit by François Fillon this morning to the international agricultural salon has been postponed”, said a short statement from Fillon’s team that gave no explanation and sent rumours flying.

Several French journalists said on Twitter that Fillon was likely to make a statement at midday Paris time. His team could not be immediately reached for comment.

Fillon, who campaigned initially as a sleaze-free “Mr Clean”, was alleged to have paid his British wife, Penelope, at least €680,000 (£577,000) of taxpayers’ money for a suspected fake parliamentary assistant job spanning 15 years.