Macron ‘demolished’ French election rival

EMMANUEL MACRON orchestrated the downfall of François Fillon, his scandal-tainted conservative opponent, in last year’s French election, a rival politician has claimed.

“Behind the scenes, he [Mr Macron] demolished him,” Laurent Wauquiez, the new leader of The Republicans party, claimed in remarks to students at a Lyon business school. “I’m certain that it was him [Mr Macron] who organised it. I think they [Macron’s team] largely contributed to setting up the demolition cell. I have no doubt the whole thing was remote-controlled.”

Once the frontrunner in the election that brought Mr Macron to power, Mr Fillon’s credibility was hit by allegations that he paid Penelope Fillon, his British wife, hundreds of thousands in taxpayers’ money for a job she never did as his parliamentary assistant. Mr Fillon, who denies any wrongdoing, has been charged with embezzlement.

Mr Wauquiez also said he was sure that Gérald Darmanin, Mr Macron’s budget minister, would be forced out of office by rape allegations. However, prosecutors later dropped an investigation into accusations by a former call girl, saying they were unable to establish an “absence of consent”.

Mr Macron has not responded to Mr Wauquiez’s allegations.