France’s centrist party to rally behind Fillon: lawmaker

Some senior lawmakers in his Republicans party have called for Fillon to be replaced immediately, with polls now suggesting he would be eliminated in the first round of the election on April 23.

He was once favourite for the presidency, but has collapsed in the polls following accusations he paid his wife for a parliamentary job that did not exist.

Recent polls showed that once the favorite to become France’s new head of state, the 63-year-old ex-prime minister seems to have little chance to make it to the second round.

France’s presidential campaign is facing a potential turning point as conservative candidate Francois Fillon, facing corruption charges, holds a rally that could determine whether he stays in the race.

Turning to his own party at the press conference in his hometown of Bordeaux, he commented “what a waste!” before chastising Fillon.

58% of French people still think that her far-right party, the Front National (FN), is a danger to democracy, a poll, conducted by KANTAR Sofres – OnePoint for French media organisations Franceinfo and Le Monde in February, shows.

Fillon is expected to speak on national television Sunday night, although he has cancelled a radio interview for Monday morning. He has complained of an “institutional coup d’etat”, suggesting that the Socialist government is behind the allegations now being investigated. Polls suggest that Mr Juppe would be more popular with voters, but the centrist is seen as too soft on immigration and other social issues for many of Mr Fillon’s supporters and the right flank of the party.

He portrays himself as a victim of injustice who intends to put his case directly to the people. His attack on the judiciary in particular has caused unease within his party. Despite saying in January that being charged would be the only thing that could prevent him from being a candidate, he said on Wednesday that he would not withdraw.

Former prime minister Alain Juppe, 71, has indicated to AFP through his entourage that he could be ready to replace Fillon as the right-wing candidate.

Fillon’s camp did not respond to specific questions about why he made the claim.

There is now talk of a “Trumpisation” of the centre-right candidate, with several commentators and news outlets comparing him to the U.S. president.

But will the same tactics work to win back the broader votes he needs in the election itself?

Fillon has maintained his innocence and has defiantly refused to step down as his party’s candidate.

But he remains under strong pressure to stand down after learning last week that he faces formal investigation over payments, amounting to hundreds of thousands of euros, to his British wife Penelope and two of their adult children for allegedly fictitious work.

Mr Fillon has denied any wrongdoing and complained of judicial and media bias that amounted to a “political assassination”.

However, surveys also show she would then lose in the deciding second-round run-off on May 7 either to the centrist and pro-business Emmanuel Macron or conservative candidate Francois Fillon.