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The trial of former French conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon on embezzlement and other charges started in Paris on Wednesday.
The former prime minister and his wife Penelope are charged mainly in relation to her alleged fake job as a parliamentary aide.
The allegations broke during Fillon’s presidential run in 2017, torpedoing his campaign and opening the way for centrist challenger Emmanuel Macron to win the Elysee Palace.
Prosecutors allege Penelope Fillon was paid over 1 million Euros (1.1 million dollars) from public funds for fictional or overpriced work.
She was officially employed as a parliamentary assistant, mostly between 1998 and 2007, first for her husband and later for his ally Marc Joulaud, who is also on trial.
Francois Fillon and Joulaud are facing charges of embezzling public funds which carry a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.
Francois and Penelope Fillon are also charged with complicity in and receiving the proceeds of embezzlement.
The trial had been due to start on Monday, however was adjourned due to a lawyers’ strike.
Defence lawyers raised constitutional objections to the charge sheet in the opening hearing and criticised leaks to the press during the investigation.
Prosecutor Aurelien Letocart, defending the charge sheet, said that embezzlement of public funds was serious enough to have been punished with death by hanging until the French Revolution of 1798.
Presiding judge Nathalie Gavarino said the court would rule on Thursday on whether to refer the objections to the Court of Cassation, which would put the trial on hold. (dpa/NAN)
