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Who is François Fillon – the man who ended Sarkozy's dream? Who is François Fillon – the man who ended Sarkozy's dream?
(about 3 hours later)
François Fillon, who beat his former boss Nicolas Sarkozy to join Alain Juppé in the second round of voting for France’s rightwing Republican party’s presidential candidate, is a social conservative who likes drinking tea, driving classic cars and cutting state spending.François Fillon, who beat his former boss Nicolas Sarkozy to join Alain Juppé in the second round of voting for France’s rightwing Republican party’s presidential candidate, is a social conservative who likes drinking tea, driving classic cars and cutting state spending.
The 62-year-old Paris MP’s campaign slogan to slash half a million public sector jobs over five years is inspired by his heroine, Margaret Thatcher.The 62-year-old Paris MP’s campaign slogan to slash half a million public sector jobs over five years is inspired by his heroine, Margaret Thatcher.
Of the seven Republican candidates, Fillon was the most outspoken defender of what is seen in France as the Anglo-Saxon economic model. He appears unafraid of offending the French statist tradition or fuelling a popular backlash against neoliberal economics. In his last rally before Sunday’s vote, he said: “I’m tagged with an [economically] liberal label in the same way one would paint crosses on the doors of lepers in the middle ages. But I’m just a pragmatist.” Of the seven Republican candidates, Fillon was the most outspoken advocate of what is seen in France as the Anglo-Saxon economic model. He appears unafraid of offending the French statist tradition or fuelling a popular backlash against neoliberal economics. In his last rally before Sunday’s vote, he said: “I’m tagged with an [economically] liberal label in the same way one would paint crosses on the doors of lepers in the middle ages. But I’m just a pragmatist.”
Fillon served as prime minister under Sarkozy, and is remembered for defying street protests and championing a rise in the retirement age.Fillon served as prime minister under Sarkozy, and is remembered for defying street protests and championing a rise in the retirement age.
He tried to distance himself from Sarkozy after the 2008 financial crash by describing the country as bankrupt and suggesting France needed to cut state spending further. Opponents have questioned why he carried on serving as Sarkozy’s prime minister if he disagreed with his approach.He tried to distance himself from Sarkozy after the 2008 financial crash by describing the country as bankrupt and suggesting France needed to cut state spending further. Opponents have questioned why he carried on serving as Sarkozy’s prime minister if he disagreed with his approach.
Sarkozy was disdainful of Fillon as a presidential candidate, referring to him as one of his staff. But Fillon had the last laugh. By pipping him to the second round runoff next week, Fillon has all but ended Sarkozy’s political career.Sarkozy was disdainful of Fillon as a presidential candidate, referring to him as one of his staff. But Fillon had the last laugh. By pipping him to the second round runoff next week, Fillon has all but ended Sarkozy’s political career.
The advocate for fiscal austerity lives in a 12th-century chateau in western France and likes driving classic sports cars at the nearby Le Mans race track. He has even appeared on the French equivalent of Top Gear.The advocate for fiscal austerity lives in a 12th-century chateau in western France and likes driving classic sports cars at the nearby Le Mans race track. He has even appeared on the French equivalent of Top Gear.
He and his Welsh wife, Penelope Clarke, have five children and keep horses. The couple, who met while she was teaching English in Le Mans and he was working at the French ministry of defence, married at a country church near Abergavenny. She is the first British woman to be married to a French prime minister. Her sister, Jane, is married to Fillon’s brother, Pierre.He and his Welsh wife, Penelope Clarke, have five children and keep horses. The couple, who met while she was teaching English in Le Mans and he was working at the French ministry of defence, married at a country church near Abergavenny. She is the first British woman to be married to a French prime minister. Her sister, Jane, is married to Fillon’s brother, Pierre.
Fillon is the the epitome of the traditional provincial right. He voted against same-sex marriage when it was introduced by the Socialist president François Hollande, and had the support of the traditional Catholic right. Claiming to stand for Christian family values, he has campaigned against medically assisted procreation for single women or lesbian couples. In a letter to church leaders last month, he promised to uphold the principle that “a child is always the fruit of a father and mother”.Fillon is the the epitome of the traditional provincial right. He voted against same-sex marriage when it was introduced by the Socialist president François Hollande, and had the support of the traditional Catholic right. Claiming to stand for Christian family values, he has campaigned against medically assisted procreation for single women or lesbian couples. In a letter to church leaders last month, he promised to uphold the principle that “a child is always the fruit of a father and mother”.
He surged in the polls in the final weeks of the campaign after publishing a book on the fight against radical Islam, saying “there isn’t a religious problem in France. Yes, there is a problem linked to Islam.” He said the solution was not to target law-abiding Muslims, but to target fundamentalism.He surged in the polls in the final weeks of the campaign after publishing a book on the fight against radical Islam, saying “there isn’t a religious problem in France. Yes, there is a problem linked to Islam.” He said the solution was not to target law-abiding Muslims, but to target fundamentalism.
But he caused anger among a black rights association during the campaign when he referred to French colonialism as France “sharing our culture”.But he caused anger among a black rights association during the campaign when he referred to French colonialism as France “sharing our culture”.
Fillon has called for a rapprochement with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, on Syria. After the US election, he welcomed a new alliance between Putin and Donald Trump. Asked early in the campaign whether France should cooperate with Syria’s Bashar al-Assad to fight Islamic State, he said France should unite with all possible forces, “democratic or not”. He told the website Atlantico in October: “De Gaulle, Churchill, Roosevelt allied with Stalin to defeat nazism.”Fillon has called for a rapprochement with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, on Syria. After the US election, he welcomed a new alliance between Putin and Donald Trump. Asked early in the campaign whether France should cooperate with Syria’s Bashar al-Assad to fight Islamic State, he said France should unite with all possible forces, “democratic or not”. He told the website Atlantico in October: “De Gaulle, Churchill, Roosevelt allied with Stalin to defeat nazism.”
Fillon said the French people “wanted authority” and his was a “powerful project” to reform France.Fillon said the French people “wanted authority” and his was a “powerful project” to reform France.