François Hollande has vigorously denied the allegation and stated that, unlike previous presidents, he respected the independence and impartiality of the judicial system. Fillon denies any wrong-doing, called the gifts purely private, and denounces the leaks that got the information in the newspapers during the election. Meanwhile, the Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux resigned after it transpired that he had arranged summer internships for two of his daughters in parliament. The matter sounds like the claims by President Donald Trump that his phones had been tapped by president Obama during the campaign. The problem is that by attacking the probity of the President, Fillon is undermining the exact function he aspires too.

Source: Forbes March 26, 2017 13:52 UTC