“Penelopegate” scandal tarnishing right-wing candidate Fillon dubbed as a “gift” for Algeria

The so-called “Penelopegate” scandal is now heavily jolting the French political arena with right-wing presidential candidate François Fillon being in a tight corner to the delight of the socialist party apparatus.

In this connection, reports say that French police have raided the lower house of parliament in an investigation into whether the wife of the presidential candidate François Fillon was paid for an allegedly non-existent job.

The unusual step, requiring authorization of the speaker of the lower house of Parliament, was carried out as part of an inquiry into the so-called “Penelopegate” scandal. It was not immediately clear whether Fillon’s own office was being searched by investigators.

Investigators are looking into possible misuse of public funds after the “Canard Enchainé” newspaper alleged that Fillon’s Welsh-born wife, Penelope, was paid €500,000 Euros (£430,000 Pounds) over eight years as his parliamentary assistant for work she did not perform. 

It is not illegal for French politicians to employ spouses or members of their family, but there is an obligation for them to effectively carry out the job.

Fillon and his wife were questioned separately for five hours on Monday by anti-corruption officers. Local media outlets suggested police were searching for her employment contracts.

Fillon has said he is the victim of a smear campaign. In a French television interview, he insisted his wife’s work had been “real and legal”, as he claimed.

The allegations have put pressure on Fillon, who had styled himself as sleaze-free and had been considered a frontrunner for the presidential election this spring. Recent polls have indicated support for Fillon falling slightly. 

He is slightly behind the far-right Front National’s Marine Le Pen, with Emmanuel Macron, the maverick independent centrist, breathing down his neck. 

Political Observers also suggest that the “Penelopegate” scandal tarnishing right-wing candidate François Fillon is some kind of a “gift” for Algeria because of Fillon’s declared anti-immigration policy and his veiled anti-islam stand in addition to the blessings he extended during his recent primary election drive to the brutal French colonial yoke in Algeria.

Fillon’s abrupt waning in the opinion polls, because of the deleterious impact of this somber affair, has also been a “blessing” to the left-wing socialist party with now prime candidate Benoit Hamon having the sails in his winds by hoping to make a good showing in the upcoming presidential elections coming ahead of “politically-bruised” François Fillon.

These observers further assert that the shutting out from the presidential race of Manuel Valls has also been hailed as positive in Algeria because the former French Prime Minister caused a “diplomatic crisis” between the two countries after tweeting in his own Twitter account an offensive picture of ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika just after leaving for Paris as part of his official visit to Algeria in March 2016.