French politics rocked by claims of anti-Sarkozy plot

EUObserver, France24 and other news sources reported that former French Prime Minister François Fillon said on the 9 November 2014 that he would sue French daily Le Monde for reporting that he encouraged legal action against his former boss, Nicolas Sarkozy, in a bid to beat him to their party's 2017 presidential nomination.

The Local.fr reported that 'Both of France's mainstream political parties have become mired in yet another shady scandal that will once again tarnish the reputation of the country's politicians and almost certainly leave only one winner' - the far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Ex-president Sarkozy announces return to French politics http://www.europeansources.info/record/ex-president-sarkozy-announces-return-to-french-politics/

France24, 09.11.14: Ex-PM Fillon to sue Le Monde over Sarkozy claims http://www.france24.com/en/20141109-fillon-sue-monde-defamation-sarkozy-legal-action-presidency/

Libération, 10.11.14: Sarkozy can play the victim again (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE153340-Sarkozy-can-play-the-victim-again

The Local.fr, 10.11.14: Le Pen revels in new French political scandal http://www.thelocal.fr/20141110/le-pen-revels-in-new-french-political-scandal

The Guardian, 10.11.14: French former PM to sue Le Monde over Nicolas Sarkozy plot claims http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/10/france-francois-fillon-nicolas-sarkozy-le-monde

BBC News, 10.11.14: Anti-Sarkozy plot claim stuns France http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29985044

Le Monde, 12.11.14: Le Pen reaps the benefits of state scandals (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE153498-Le-Pen-reaps-the-benefits-of-state-scandals

Euro|Topics: Who's saying what: Curtains for Sarkozy in politics? http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/debatten/links_2014_07_sarkozy/

EurActiv, 26.11.14: Sarkozy hopes to crush party rivals in French comeback test http://www.euractiv.com/sections/elections/sarkozy-hopes-crush-party-rivals-french-comeback-test-310361

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