French prime minister François Fillon in Charleville-Mezieres, February 2, 2017. AFP PHOTO / Francois NASCIMBENI – AFP
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Will she or will-til his reverence ? The week that profile is likely to be very difficult to François Fillon, who was involved in a controversy about jobs fictitious suspected his wife and two of his children. Remains to be seen whether the coming days will seal the political fate of former Prime minister. For the time being, his entourage is in a state of uncertainty. “François Fillon is a boar alone. It is capable of charging all at once, but also capable to let go of everything to go away dwelling at the bottom of the forest (…) today that the wild boar is wounded to death, everything is possible, ” said one of his close friends at JDD. 20 Minutes reviews the two possible scenarios of the week.

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signs that show that it may give…

For many observers of the political world, the most likely hypothesis is an ad next to the renunciation of François Fillon to run for the presidential election. A decision that could be dictated by a number of reasons. First of all, by the accumulation of the revelations in the media against him, that can finally complete it. Nothing that this Saturday, Mediapart published the copies of cheques, which testify to an “extensive system of embezzlement of public funds” which would have benefited François Fillon at the time when he was in the Senate. On Thursday, the publication of a video where we saw Penelope Fillon claim that they have “never been the assistant “or” care communication ” from her husband, had already sent in a layer. And the Duck chained, which has disseminated information on the couple Fillon on two occasions, could still reiterate in its upcoming issue.

Secondly, even if the official discourse in LR is to support François Fillon, more and more voices on the right are in favour of a withdrawal of the former prime minister of the race élyséenne. This is the case, Bruno Gilles, president of the Republicans of the Bouches-du-Rhône, which has made a declaration in this sense Saturday, succeeding the sarkozyste Georges Fenech, the first to unsheathe Wednesday. This last had been followed up by the juppéiste Philippe Gosselin, by senator sarkozyste Alain Houpert, by the president of the departmental council of Corrèze, Pascal Coste and Henri Guaino, mp, LR, Yvelines. Ditto for the mp, the LR of the 11th constituency of the Bouches-du-Rhone, who said on Sunday 20 Minutes that François Fillon is expected to ” adouber another person “. As Gérard Larcher, president of the Senate, he has denied on Twitter a information of Obs, according to which it would quickly “disconnect” the candidate is in big trouble…

And the meeting of French prime minister François Fillon on Tuesday at the Meeting with the members of RL could be very rough. Some of them are quite enhanced after a weekend in their constituencies, where they may have had to face the wrath of their voters. “The elect are, but not the field. Our party can no longer do campaign, ” complained a framework LR to AFP Saturday. “It is necessary that Fillon “unplug” Otherwise, this is cata. He takes us to the cliff. If he goes to the presidential election, it is fucked up to the right “, provided another member of parliament and mayor of the paris region to the AFP. And outside the party, the burden is even heavier. The president of Modem, François Bayrou, said on Sunday that French prime minister François Fillon had “no other solution” than to withdraw from the presidential race. Ditto for Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

in addition, a survey* published this weekend seems to be a bad omen for the former prime minister. While it caracolait in the polls after his triumph in the primary from the right, François Fillon would be eliminated if the election were held today, according to a BVA survey-Salesforce released Saturday. And as the candidates at the Elysee must have filed the sponsorship on the 17th of march, the camp, the LR is aware that time is running out to keep his chances in the race to the Elysée.

, And signs that underline its intention to resist

” The engine the stronger in him, it is the humiliation. If you humilies, you stretch the spring to the maximum, you give him a great force, ” said Francois Fillon, a parliamentary LR to the JDD. Several supporters of the former Prime minister also confirm that he will “change the strategy and be more offensive to his defense” this week. An approach already started on Friday, where French prime minister François Fillon has posted on Facebook a video message in which he seeks to reassure the heart of his electorate : “I will be unshakable “, ” I will be good “, he said.

The former Prime minister wants to save time. He was asked Wednesday at his troops to “hold for 15 days” pending the investigation by the parquet national financier vienna to his term, and the case is eventually closed with no action. According to his entourage, he could also speak quickly to the television to explain himself in detail on the facts, without, however, plead guilty.

And even though he was aware of having disappointed the French, François Fillon wants to be convinced that he has the confidence of its core electorate. Moreover, according to a survey** of the Fifg for the JDD released Sunday, 64 % of supporters of the Republicans are for the maintenance of his candidacy. He has confirmed on Twitter that he would give a meeting in Poitiers on the 9th of February next.

It’s also on the mobilization of its troops on the ground. A leaflet titled “Stop the hunting of man,” which denounces a “conspiracy” has been circulated widely this weekend. And a petition launched on Friday by Frigide Barjot : “Fillon, hold on !” has already been signed by 16.000 people. Will this be enough there to save it ?

*Poll BVA-Salesforce conducted online the 1 and 2 February from 955 persons 18 years of age and over, according to the method of quotas.

** The survey of the Fifg has been conducted among a sample of 1007 people, representative of the French population aged 18 years and older, according to the method of quotas, and conducted by telephone from 3 to 4 February 2017.

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