In It was previously unimaginable in France to send a former head of government behind bars. Therefore, the verdict against the former prime minister François Fillon the effects of a political earthquake unfolded on Monday afternoon. The judges sentenced the 66-year-old politician to five years’ imprisonment for the mock employment of his wife, three of them on probation. So it could well be that Fillon has to end his long political career in a detention center, even if his lawyers want to start an appeal process, as they said.
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Fillon’s wife Penelope was sentenced to a three-year suspended sentence. Both also have to pay a fine of EUR 375,000 each. In addition, the court ruled that the Fillon couple and former MP Marc Joulaud, who had moved up for Fillon, had to repay the National Assembly one million euros. Joulaud was also sentenced to three years imprisonment for serving him Penelope Fillon had continued to work as a parliamentary assistant without asking for proven consideration. The National Assembly had acted as a co-plaintiff in the trial.
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