Embattled French presidential hopeful Francois Fillon denounces probe

Conservative Francois Fillonpromised on Wednesday to fight "to the end" in France'spresidential election despite a deepening investigation into afinancial scandal, but his campaign suffered a new blow as a topaide resigned.

The former prime minister revealed that investigatingmagistrates had summoned him to appear before them on March 15to be placed under formal investigation over allegations that hepaid his wife hundreds of thousands of euros of public money todo very little work.

I'llfight to the end. FrancoisFillon

In a defiant speech at his party headquarters, he repeatedhis denials of wrongdoing, complained of judicial and media biasamounting to a "political assassination,"and appealed directlyfor the support of the French people.

"It's not just me being assassinated. It's the presidentialelection," he said, flanked by senior party members, after amorning of speculation he was about to quit the race.

• 'The old model is exhausted': Populism's effect on French politics

"I put myself before the French people because it is theirsuffrage, and not a biased procedure, that should decide whoshould be the president of the republic of France.

"I won't give in, I won't surrender, I won't pull out, I'llfight to the end."

Fillon's stand came as opinion polls continued to show hewould fail to make the second round of the April/May election,albeit by a narrow margin. They showed independent centristEmmanuel Macron consolidating his status as favourite, followedby far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen.

Rival dismissive

Analysts said the latest developments should strengthen theposition of Macron. "The word from Fillon is that he soldiers onregardless and that leaves Macron as the candidate most likelyto win," said Societe Generale strategist Ciaran O'Hagan.

Macron was dismissive of his rival's statement.

"This is a sign of lost nerve or lost grip on reality. Everyone needs to keep hold of their senses," he said.

• French prosecutors expand fraud probe into Fillon
• ANALYSIS |France's politically wounded pile up, leaving Macron and Le Pen leading presidential race

In a new setback for Fillon, his key aide Bruno Le Maireresigned as his adviser on international affairs, saying thecandidate had gone back on his word to withdraw from theelection if he was placed under formal investigation.

An Opinionway poll released at noon on Wednesday butconducted before the day's drama put Le Pen on 25 per cent in thefirst round vote on April 23 and Macron on 24 per cent, takingfirst and second places respectively.

Fillon was on 21 per cent, meaning he would be eliminatedfrom the run-off between the top two candidates. The poll showedMacron going on to beat Le Pen in the second round with 63per cent of votes.

"Opinion surveys in the coming days could be decisive,"Jerome Fourquet of pollsters IFOP told Reuters, noting thatlarge numbers of right and centre voters had abandoned Fillon over the past few weeks and that winning them back might now bedifficult.

'Now the third man'

ING economist Julien Manceaux said in a research note thatFillon's stand was "unlikely to be sufficient in the eyes ofpublic opinion.

"Mr Fillon is now the third man," he wrote.

Le Pen also faces legal troubles, though this has had noobvious impact on her opinion poll standings to date.

European Union lawmakers voted on Tuesday to lift her EUparliamentary immunity for tweeting pictures of ISIS violence.

Separately, her chief of staff was put under formalinvestigation just over a week ago over the alleged misuse of EUfunds to pay parliamentary assistants.