BREAKING NEWS

Senior French conservative resigns from Fillon's campaign team

Former agriculture minister Bruno Le Maire said on Wednesday he would resign from from the campaign team of French presidential candidate Francois Fillon, following Fillon's vow to stay in the election race despite a judicial summons.
"I believe in keeping one's word," Le Maire said in a statement posted on his Twitter account. "I therefore resign from my functions as European and international affairs representative on Francois Fillon's campaign." Le Maire explained that Fillon had initially said he would pull out of the race if placed under formal investigation.
Fillon announced on Wednesday that he was being summoned by judges and expected them to place him under investigation in an inquiry into payments of public funds to his wife and children, payments that he says were legal.