PARIS--Frontrunner Francois Fillon faced a crisis in his campaign for the French presidency on Wednesday when prosecutors opened an inquiry for misuse of public funds after a press report that his wife drew a salary as his assistant but never actually worked.
Fillon, a right-wing former prime minister, said he was outraged at the report by the satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine which he said showed "contempt and misogyny".
"I see the stink bomb season has started," the 62-year-old told journalists in the city of Bordeaux.
Fillon is running for The Republicans party in the presidential election on April 23 and May 7. While he faces a strong challenge from far-right leader Marine Le Pen, second in the polls, and from independent centrist Emmanuel Macron, Fillon has generally been seen to be on a smooth ride to the Elysee.
That lead could be affected by how he handles a crisis that risks denting his image as a devout Catholic and family man with a relatively scandal-free record in office. Hours after Wednesday's report, financial prosecutors in Paris said they were opening an inquiry into misuse of public funds relating to the matter.
"Following the publication ... in the Canard Enchaine of a story calling Mrs Penelope Fillon into question, the financial prosecutor's office today opened a preliminary investigation into misappropriation of public funds, misuse of company assets and concealment of these offences," a statement said.
The opening of a preliminary investigation is a first step in the judicial process and does not mean that either Fillon or his wife will eventually be charged or even placed under formal investigation. Fillon said in a statement that he wanted to meet investigators as soon as possible to establish the truth and defend his honour.
"This particularly fast decision (to open an investigation) will silence this campaign of slander and will put an end to these baseless accusations," he said.
It is common practice for French parliamentarians to employ wives, children and even mistresses in their office. But the allegation that Fillon's British-born wife, Penelope, was paid for fake jobs - a charge to which he did not reply directly on Wednesday - could undermine his pledge to pursue an honest and transparent campaign and hurt his ratings as the race for the presidency gathers pace.
