Pressure grows on Fillon, once seen as favourite
PARIS: Embattled French presidential candidate Francois Fillon delivered a defiant speech to thousands of supporters in central Paris on Sunday, but made no pledge to fight on as pressure from his conservative party mounted on him to step aside.
Once the frontrunner in the presidential race, Fillon is mired in a scandal over his wife’s pay, and his campaign has been in serious trouble since he learned last week that he could be placed under formal investigation for misuse of public funds.
Party leaders prepared for a meeting on Monday to discuss the crisis ahead of a March 17 deadline when all candidates must be formally endorsed by at least 500 elected officials.
A senior politician from his party, The Republicans, had earlier said that several party heavyweights were about to issue a statement calling for former prime minister Alain Juppe, who lost to Fillon in November for the party ticket, to replace him.
As thousands of tricoloured flag-waving supporters braved pouring rain and chanted for him to stay, Fillon appeared to put the ball back into his party’s court.
“I will continue to tell my political friends that the choice is down to them, and also not down to them,” he said in a half-hour speech laced with attacks on the outgoing Socialist government, far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen and the favourite, independent Emmanuel Macron.
“Because the choice is yours, those of your votes and through those votes your hopes. I am sure that it will be all of France’s choice if we are able to gather ourselves in an ultimate push.”
However he made no promises to battle on until the end.
“I am attacked from all sides and with all consciousness I must listen to you, listen to this massive crowd that pushes me forward, but I must also ask myself about those who doubt me and jump ship,” he said.