France: Fillon cancels campaign stop amid investigation

Conservative Francois Fillon's campaign for the French presidency faced new uncertainty today as he abruptly canceled a campaign stop at the country's premier farm fair and an investigation intensified into alleged fake parliamentary jobs for his family.
Fillon's campaign team gave no reason for the sudden cancellation of Wednesday's appearance at the Salon d'Agriculture, but said he is expected to speak at his campaign headquarters at midday.
Financial Prosecutor Eliane Houlette denied reports that Fillon's wife Penelope was taken in for questioning Wednesday in the jobs investigation. She would not comment on reports that the Fillons received a summons Wednesday for questioning later this month.

Fillon was once the front-runner in the race for the April-May two-round election but his poll ratings have slid over the investigation, which he calls an unfounded smear campaign. The financial prosecutor's office pushed the case to a higher level Friday, paving the way for possible charges against Fillon.
Fillon initially said he would withdraw from the race if he was charged but later said he was determined to let the voters decide his fate.
Fillon's Republicans party has no clear Plan B for his possible pullout. The runnerup in the party's first-ever primary, the more center-leaning Alain Juppe, has said he would not want to run in Fillon's place.

Filllon has also held talks in recent weeks with former President Nicolas Sarkozy, who came in third in the conservative primary.

After a preliminary investigation opened January 25, the financial prosecutor's office decided Friday to launch a formal judicial inquiry, turning it over to investigating judges who can bring charges or throw the case out.
No one has been named in the judicial investigation on a list of charges, including misappropriation of public funds, abuse of public funds and influence trafficking. Investigative weekly Le Canard Enchaine reported that payments were made to Penelope Fillon and two of their five children that totaled more than 1 million euros (USD 1.1 million) over many years.

Campaign staffers and members of his Republicans party were at the fair waiting for Fillon when the last-minute cancellation was announced.
Protesters have been at Fillon's recent campaign events for the election, in which far-right candidate Marine Le Pen is expected to make a strong showing.