French court confirms former PM Fillon's 'fake jobs' conviction

Former French prime minister François Fillon is to face a third trial after the Court of Cassation on Wednesday confirmed his guilt in the case of a fictitious jobs scandal involving his wife. However the court also overturned an earlier appeals decision on sentencing and damages. 

The 70-year-old was sentenced in May 2022 to four years in jail, one of which could be served at home wearing a bracelet, for his part in defrauding the French state of more than a million euros. He was fined €375,000.  

Fillon's British-born wife Penelope, then a local councillor, received a two-year suspended prison sentence, while his former deputy MP for the Sarthe department, Marc Joulaud, was given three years suspended. 

While recognising the guilt of François Fillon's guilt, the Court of Cassation – France's Supreme  Court – ordered a fresh trial before a court of appeal to redefine the penalties and damages. 

Compliance ruling

The court had been called upon to rule on compliance with the rules of law, and not the merits of the case itself. 

Fillon, who brought the case to the court, argued that he would not have benefited from an impartial trial. 

While the court did not agree with him, it ruled that the sentences handed down against Fillon were not appropriate. 

Its decision concerning the opening of a third trial was eagerly awaited seven years after the so-called “Penelopegate” rocked the 2017 presidential campaign, during which Fillon was the candidate for the conservative Republicans party. 

On top of jail time and fines, the Fillons and Joulaud were ordered to repay more than one million euros to France's National Assembly. 

Fillon was banned holding public office for 10 years, while his wife was banned for two.