PARIS (Sputnik) — Penelope Fillon reportedly earned some 500,000 euros ($531,675) during her time as her husband’s assistant between 1998 and 2012, but local media claimed there was no evidence she did any work.
7 February 2017, 10:13 GMT
Asked if they agreed that media disclosures centering on the presidential hopeful’s wife aimed to discredit Fillon, who until recently looked set to triumph over National Front’s Marine Le Pen in the runoff, 23 percent of respondents said yes.
But the majority of 15,874 French nationals polled on February 7-12, or 77 percent, disagreed that Fillon was a victim of conspiracy. They said a preliminary investigation into his wife’s alleged misuse of funds was opened to establish facts that will be reviewed by the court.
Fillon, of the center-right The Republicans party, questioned whether the inquiry was legitimate and called accusations against his wife misogynistic, saying she had the right to work. He pledged to stand down if a formal investigation was launched.
