François Fillon and his wife “embezzled” state funds – what decision did the court make?

A high-profile case is once again at the center of debate on France’s political scene. The country’s former Prime Minister François Fillon and his wife Penelope Fillon were accused of misusing state funds and sentenced to prison.

The Paris Court of Appeal announced its decision on June 17. According to court documents, François Fillon appointed Penelope Fillon to a fake job in the parliamentary staff and she was paid a salary for years. In reality, his wife never worked a single day. This situation became known to the French public in 2017, just before the presidential elections, and dealt a major political blow to the politician.

Fillon was considered one of the main candidates for the presidency, but due to the scandal, lost the election to Emmanuel Macron. The French prosecutor’s office assessed the case as embezzlement of state funds and requested to ban the politician from running in elections for 10 years.

The court sentenced him to 4 years of suspended imprisonment (meaning, he will not go to prison but will be under supervision) and a fine of 375,000 euros. In addition, François Fillon will not be able to participate in elections for five years. Penelope Fillon was sentenced to two years of suspended imprisonment.

Interestingly, the Court of Cassation of France – the country’s highest court – had previously upheld the guilty verdict in this case. However, at the same time, it stated that the punishment measures should be reviewed. Now the court has reconsidered the case and confirmed the guilt of the Fillons.

François Fillon was the Prime Minister of France from 2007 to 2012 and was considered a highly influential political figure. But now he will remain in history as a person who used state funds for his own benefit.

Conclusion:
This event once again shows that even high-ranking politicians in France can be held accountable before the law. Transparency and responsibility in politics remain the main pillars of a democratic society. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!