REPORT: Troubled French presidential candidate Fillon's chief spokesman resigns

The chief spokesman of French presidential candidate Francois Fillon said on Friday he was stepping down, one of the most high-profile resignations so far from the campaign of the conservative Fillon who faces a deepening probe into his financial affairs.

Fillon left his Paris home smiling on Friday morning, the day after it was searched by investigators looking into allegations that he paid his wife public money as his parliamentary assistant, a role for which she did little actual work.

Thierry Solere, who was also the organizer of the primary election from which Fillon emerged as conservative candidate, announced on Twitter that he was standing down, following a number of high-profile resignations in 48 hours.

Meanwhile a source in the entourage of defeated primary candidate Alain Juppe said he was “ready to take part in the search for a solution.”

 Fillon this week promised to fight “to the end.”
 He has complained of judicial and media bias that amounted to a “political assassination.”

Several of his former supporters have since deserted him, saying they cannot support him given those attacks on the judiciary.


REUTERS


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