The rightwing French presidential candidate François Fillon has denied claims that his wife was paid about €500,000 (£430,000) over eight years from public funds for a parliamentary assistant’s job she never carried out. France’s financial prosecutor this week opened a preliminary investigation into the possible misuse of public funds by Fillon and his wife. “My wife has always worked for me; she has always been by my side in my public life,” Fillon said. In his TV appearance, Fillon did not show any documentation to prove his wife’s work. Fillon said his wife’s role on the literary review was an advisory one and he had seen her doing the work.

Source: The Guardian January 26, 2017 22:25 UTC