This investigation was entrusted, according to a source familiar with the matter, to the Central Office for the Fight against Corruption and Financial and Tax Offenses (OCLCIFF) by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF).

The PNF, which did not wish to communicate until then on the subject, confirmed to AFP on Friday that it had opened this investigation into the heads of "embezzlement of public funds and concealment of this crime", without specifying the date on which this investigation was been opened.

"I learned through the press that justice has opened an investigation into my work as a parliamentary assistant. I, for my part, have not received any information", reacted to AFP Mr. Roussel, also National Secretary of the French Communist Party (PCF).

"If that were the case, I would naturally be at the disposal of justice, like any citizen," he added.

The 52-year-old deputy from the North, a former journalist, had a great breakthrough in the polls, rising from 2% to almost 5% according to the latest estimates, thanks in particular to shocking formulas such as "good wine, good meat, a good cheese," or even "le Rousellement".

At this stage, one month from the first round, he is third on the left behind Jean-Luc Mélenchon (LFI) and Yannick Jadot (EELV) but ahead of socialist Anne Hidalgo.

"Valuable collaborator"

After accusations from the online media Mediapart initially published on February 20, Fabien Roussel claimed that he had "documents" proving his activity as a parliamentary assistant to Jean-Jacques Candelier (ex-deputy for the North).

"I was with him, and without him, to follow conflicts in Douaisis, (...) I have the documents of the work that I did with him on these subjects, with trade unionists", had declared Mr. Roussel at the end of February.

He then said he was "surprised and indignant" by the article in Médiapart.

The candidate had specified that he had never won 3,000 euros per month as Mediapart writes: "I started at 2,460 net, I finished at 2,700".

"They investigated by questioning people who are at war with me. I don't just have friends, that's normal (...) But I have dozens of people who can say what we did together , the fights that we even won together with Jean-Jacques Candelier", he added.

Mr. Candelier had also declared himself "surprised and indignant" by the Mediapart article in a press release.

Fabien Roussel "was a valuable and efficient collaborator, in the field, constantly in contact with many union players, elected officials, residents", affirms the former deputy, according to whom he "had a very detailed knowledge of the economic situation and social" and "close links with many players in the area".

Several parties, such as the RN, the Modem or France insoumise, are currently the subject of investigations in France concerning collaborators who have been employed by the European Parliament when they are suspected of having actually worked for the French political party activity.

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© 2022 AFP