Three questions to understand the luxury costume affair offered to François Fillon<

François Fillon was offered for several thousand euros in costumes, part of which would have been settled in cash, says the JDD, Sunday 12Mars.In total, the Paris deputy and candidate from the right to the presidential election would have received 48,500 euros of tailor -made costumes, bought from a renowned Parisian tailor.Franceinfo looks back on this strange affair in three questions.

What do we know about the costumes offered to Fillon?

In its March 12 edition, Le Journal du DimancheRévèle that a ""generous friend"" signed a check for 13,000 euros, on February 20, to pay the amount of two tailor -made costumes, at the tailor Arnys, in Paris.""I paid at the request of François Fillon.And without having any thanks since, ""said the mysterious patron.

According to the JDD, many other costumes have been ordered for François Fillon at this tailor, since 2012.They were settled in cash, for a total amount of 35,500 euros.The weekly does not specify, on the other hand, who paid: the same ""generous friend"", François Fillon himself, or another anonymous ""patron""?

Why could it be a problem?

The author of the JDD survey wonders about these purchases, part of which has been settled in cash, and the reasons for these gifts.""Why species? And who would have poured these species to pay a costume and a forest jacket to François Fillon this fall?"" Wondered Valdiguié, on Europe 1.And ""why not have appealed to the funds of the electoral campaign proper and why was a friend alone was led to give a gift of 13,000 euros to the candidate?"" Continues the investigative journalist.

""Donations"" greater than 150 euros must be declared.When they accept ""donations and advantages"" ""in connection with their mandate"" estimated at more than 150 euros, deputies are required to declare them to the ethics of the National Assembly, as specified in the Regulation of the Assembly.These declarations ""make it possible to secure your situation and if necessary to respond when the press or social networks in particular echo erroneous interpretations on certain practices which are not criticized"", specifies the ethics specialist to the deputies.The declaration of these gifts would exhaust very beginning of controversy, but at present, we do not know François Fillon has carried out this approach.

The identity of the ""patron"" and the risk of conflict of interest.The ""generous friend"" of François Fillon prefers, for the moment, to remain anonymous, but his identity, if it was revealed, could change the situation.If he is indeed a relative of the candidate, and that this gift was made ""in a strictly private setting"", then the Paris deputy does not have to declare these costumes.If he is not a relative of François Fillon, Cegros Gift can lead to a conflict of interest, and it is in particular to avoid this that the law on the transparency of public life has been implemented.

What does it answer?

In an interview with Europe 1, Monday, March 13, François Fillon explained that he had ""perfectly the right to be offered a costume"", that ""it is not prohibited"".But the candidate of the right did not wish to give the identity of the generous ""friend"" at the origin of these gifts.""Every day, we go down a little lower in the intrusion of my private life,"" he regretted.

On the question of the risk of conflict of interest, the candidate of the right considered that ""all that has nothing to do"" with politics.

François Fillon also defended himself in the columns of the daily Les Echos, Monday 13Mars.""A friend offered me costumes in February.So what? """" Do I observe that my private life is the subject of cough investigations and that this treatment is reserved for me.My actions and gestures are scrutinized every day in the obvious intention to harm myself to deviate from the presidential race, ""he said.

For the entourage of the candidate, the gifts received are not ""reprehensible"".""One wonders how far these malicious intrusions will go in his private life, comments a relative of the candidate, in the JDD.As for the assertion that certain costumes would have been paid in cash, it is completely extravagant.No serious house accepts cash payments for such amounts.""