MOSCOW (Sputnik) — French financial prosecutors opened an investigation into Fillon's wife case last week after the satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine reported that she had been paid up to 7,900 euros (up to $8,500) for working as her husband's parliamentary aide and received a 5,000-euro gross monthly salary at the prestigious cultural magazine La Revue des Deux Mondes, owned by Fillon's friend Marc Ladreit de Lacharriere.
"I think that the only plan B is [Alain] Juppe because no one has enough power except him," one of The Republicans' party members told Le Parisien newspaper.
"The right will not make it to the second round without Juppe's returning. Under this crazy circumstance, Le Pen can defeat [Benoit] Hamon and even [former Economy Minister Emmanuel] Macron. Let us be honest, regardless we like him or not, Juppe is the only one in France who can confidently defeat Le Pen," Ferry posted on his official Twitter account.
The supporters of the former French president Nicolas Sarkozy name former Economy Minister Francois Baroin as potential candidate.
"Last week he stepped up quietly and talked to several lawmakers to probe this hypothesis [of running]," a source in the parliament told Le Parisien.
Another politician with presidential ambitions is Xavier Bertrand, former Health Minister, who is now serving as President of the Regional Council of Hauts-de-France.
"He says nothing and remains calm. But he thinks about it [running] intensively, undoubtedly," a senator from Fillon inner circle told Le Parisien.
A new poll conducted on Monday and Tuesday showed that Fillon and National Front leader Marine Le Pen were unlikely to advance to the second round of the presidential election.
The first round of the French presidential election is scheduled for April 23, with the run-off slated for May 7.
