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Pressure mounts on France's Fillon as party heavyweights look to Juppe
Reuters ^ | 3/5/2017 | John Irish and Simon Carraud

Posted on 03/05/2017 6:42:50 AM PST by Spiridon

A senior politician from embattled French presidential candidate Francois Fillon's conservative camp said on Sunday that several party heavyweights were about to issue a statement calling for prime minister Alain Juppe to replace him.

Once the frontrunner, Fillon is mired in a scandal over his wife's pay, and his campaign has been in serious trouble since he learnt last week that he could be placed under formal investigation for misuse of public funds.

He is under growing pressure as party leaders prepare a crisis meeting Monday to discuss the situation ahead of a March 17 deadline when all presidential candidates must be formally endorsed by at least 500 elected officials.......

"In the coming hours we will propose an initiative," Christian Estrosi, a close ally of former President Nicolas Sarkozy, told BFM TV, adding that it would be before Monday morning....

He said the initiative would come in the form of a statement led by himself and other party heavyweights including Xavier Bertrand and Valerie Pecresse.

"The easiest thing obviously...is the person who came second in the primaries and that quite simply is Alain Juppe," he said.

Fillon, who was set tot attend s rally of thousands of supporters in central Paris, announced on Twitter that he would appear on France 2 television's evening news.....

(Excerpt) Read more at uk.reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: france; francoisfillon; marinelepen
Fillon is being pushed out with the endgame being the elimination of LePen.

One push poll put out this weekend claimed the new candidate set to replace Fillon for his les Republicans party, Alain Juppe, would finish with Emmanuel Macron in the first two slots in the first round.

This would put Marine LePen to third place and eliminate her from the second round.

1 posted on 03/05/2017 6:42:50 AM PST by Spiridon
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To: Spiridon

They think they can just put up a new stooge, and that will make the voters care less about trying to save the lives of their families


2 posted on 03/05/2017 6:45:20 AM PST by aynrandfreak (Being a Democrat means never having to say you're sorry)
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To: Spiridon

The French are utterly hopeless.


3 posted on 03/05/2017 6:48:39 AM PST by allendale
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To: Spiridon

It’s so bad the Frogs want Obama to run.


4 posted on 03/05/2017 6:52:37 AM PST by nickedknack (Sump'n ain't rat cheer)
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To: Spiridon

Le Pen has no chance. Trump’s unpopularity in France has crushed her prospects.


5 posted on 03/05/2017 6:53:56 AM PST by babble-on
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To: aynrandfreak

Juppe is suppose to save ‘the Republicans’, thst’ the name of the party over there.

He will replace Fillon and beat Macron and LePen, eliminating her from the second round vote on May 7th.

French election polls are posted on this page.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_French_presidential_election_2017


6 posted on 03/05/2017 6:57:46 AM PST by Spiridon
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To: Spiridon

It seems as though all French Politicians are on the take. I guess they are trying to imitate U.S. Politicians.


7 posted on 03/05/2017 6:59:52 AM PST by Old Retired Army Guy (frequently.)
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To: babble-on

Le Pen has been making steady progress in French polling and in the end if its her versus Macron the banker, what will the Left do.

Vote for Macron who will cut benefits for austerity or Le Pen, who has pledged to keep the bennies and even liberalize them.


8 posted on 03/05/2017 7:03:58 AM PST by Spiridon
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To: Spiridon

Fillon back in November was a sure bet and figured in the final two election. With the note of his wife having a fake-pay type job...everyone soured on the guy. This past week, I noted that several of the big-wigs within his party have finally said ‘enough’ and turned their back on the guy. I looked at the latest poll....the best he can do is 19-percent. Zero chance that Fillon can make it into the final two.

With Juppe, I saw one poll that suggested that he could beat Macron by six to eight percent. At present, the attitude may be that anyone but Macron is the way to go.


9 posted on 03/05/2017 7:06:19 AM PST by pepsionice
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To: babble-on

For those in France who wanted Obama... given the wire tapping story, will make Le Penn the winner by default.


10 posted on 03/05/2017 7:54:00 AM PST by Jumper
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To: Spiridon

Panic in France.

Juppe was not considered at first because his administration is not well liked; that’s why Fillon was running and in the lead sometimes.

Time will tell if the panic induced change in candidates puts Le Pen in third, or if not still knocks her out in the run off.

But panic is what is going on. The elites are scrambling for anything to retain sufficient credibility - more than 30% - in the 1st run of the general.


11 posted on 03/05/2017 8:07:03 AM PST by Wuli
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To: Spiridon

It seems corruption is as endemic in France as it is in Mexico.


12 posted on 03/05/2017 9:32:48 AM PST by AlaskaErik (I served and protected my country for 31 years. Progressives spent that time trying to destroy it.)
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