The China Mail - French presidential candidate Philippe targeted in embezzlement probe

The 55-year-old centrist, an ex-prime minister seen as one of the strongest contenders in next year's election to replace President Emmanuel Macron, denies the accusations.

Polls suggest that Philippe, a centrist with his Horizons party, could successfully take on the far right and win the vote.

His team told AFP that he took note of the probe and would "answer the questions put to him by the judiciary as he has always done in a very serene manner".

Contacted by AFP, his lawyer did not wish to comment.

A former senior official with the local authority has accused Philippe of possible misconduct over the awarding in 2020 of the management of a digital hub in Le Havre to an association presided by one of his deputies.

Philippe, who was prime minister from 2017 to 2020, has previously rejected all accusations.

An investigation into suspicions of embezzlement of public funds, favouritism, unlawful taking of interest and extortion was ordered earlier this month, the national financial prosecutor's office told AFP on Tuesday.

The complaint, seen by AFP, stated that the investigating magistrate would have to assess whether a pact had been concluded between the mayor and his deputy involving "political, financial and relational support in return for managing" the digital hub.

- 'Considerable sums' -

France's rights ombudswoman last year gave the civil servant who made the complaint the whistleblower status, a label Philippe has rejected.

The former civil servant says her contract for 2020 to 2023 was not renewed and she was bullied after she made the allegations.

An association called LH French Tech was awarded the contract to run the digital hub in July 2020 after being the sole contender to call for bids.

Under a deal, the association -- created that same month, and presided by the deputy mayor -- was to receive more than 2 million euros ($2.3 million) for several years to run the space supposed to encourage digital innovation.

The ex-civil servant alleged there was a conflict of interest as the deal allowed the mayor and his deputy "control over considerable sums" of money.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen hopes to run for president for a fourth time in 2027.

But if an appeals court in July bars the 57-year-old from public office over an alleged fake jobs scam in European Parliament, her lieutenant Jordan Bardella, 30, is expected to run in her place.

In another case, European Union prosecutors in May launched a probe into a possible misappropriation of EU funds, after a complaint alleged Le Pen's party had used European grants to benefit Bardella.

- Gifted statuettes -

Another former minister who is expected to run for president next year, right-winger Dominique de Villepin, is also under investigation over two statuettes he allegedly received while foreign minister between 2002 and 2004, financial prosecutor Pascal Prache said on Wednesday.

A preliminary investigation was opened on Tuesday into alleged "handling of embezzled public funds" by de Villepin, he said.

De Villepin would be "calmly at the disposal" of investigators, his team said.

Foreign minister under Jacques Chirac, de Villepin won international prominence in 2003 with his articulate condemnation of the US-led invasion of Iraq at the UN. He also later served as prime minister.

De Villepin earlier this month admitted he had made a "mistake" in accepting the two gifts, but defended himself saying there had been "no guidelines on these kinds of situations at the time".

A source close to de Villepin told AFP that the statuettes -- allegedly paid for Blaise Compaore, when he was president of Burkina Faso, and an Italian businessman -- were handed over to the foreign ministry.

H.Au--ThChM