French financial prosecutor not to drop Fillon's wife's fake job case

France's financial prosecutor on Thursday said she would pursue an investigation into Francois Fillon's wife's fake job allegations that made the Republican Party contender lose his status as the favorite to win the upcoming presidential election.

"The numerous elements already collected does not permit the case to be dropped at this stage," prosecutor Eliane Houlette said.

"The investigation will continue with strict respect to the rules of the criminal procedure's code," she added.

Following press claims over Fillon's wife's hefty salaries for a job she did not do, the financial prosecutor opened a preliminary inquiry on Jan. 25 into the possible "misuse of public funds" and "misappropriation of assets."

The prosecutor's decision is a new blow to Fillon who is struggling to regain voters' confidence and restart his campaign weeks before the presidential election kicks off.

In the last voter survey, 74 percent of respondents had a low opinion of the scandal-hit former prime minister with a large majority calling for him to step down.

Despite declining popularity and speculations about his ability to continue the race to the Elysee Palace, Fillon has said he would step down if he were put under formal investigation.

At a press meeting on Feb. 9, he apologized for the ethical "error" he made in hiring his wife and their two children, a practice which he said was no longer acceptable by public opinion.

Meanwhile, he affirmed that his wife had been his parliamentary assistant for 15 years and her job was "perfectly justified."

Under French law, it's legal for lawmakers to hire family members as their assistants, but it's illegal to pay them for a fictitious job. Endit