The scandal known as 'Penelopegate' began in January 2017 when it was revealed that Penelope Fillon likely did not perform the work claimed as a parliamentary assistant, significantly derailing her husband François Fillon's presidential ambitions.

This controversy emerged from reports by the investigative newspaper 'Le Canard Enchaîné,' leading to a protracted political and media ordeal for Fillon, who was a leading candidate in the 2017 presidential election.

Ultimately, Fillon finished third in the first round of the election, receiving only 20.01% of the votes, marking a historic low for a right-wing candidate in the Fifth Republic.

His defeat not only marked a significant decline for the conservative party but also paved the way for Emmanuel Macron's presidency, diminishing support for French conservatives.

In May 2022, Fillon was sentenced to four years in prison, including one year firm, along with a €375,000 fine and ten years of ineligibility for embezzlement and complicity in misuse of public funds.

However, the Court of Cassation recently upheld the sentences of Penelope Fillon and Marc Joulaud while ordering a new hearing focused on Fillon's sentence, citing insufficient justification for the prison time imposed.

During this hearing, the Advocate General proposed to replace Fillon's one-year prison sentence with a fully suspended four-year sentence, while maintaining the fine and ineligibility period.

At 71 years old and retired from public life, Fillon attended the Paris Court of Appeal for this brief session, with a decision on his sentence expected at a later date.

Fillon is accused of employing his wife in a non-existent job funded by taxpayers, which has been a central element of the allegations against him.

In a separate investigation, Fillon reimbursed nearly €70,000 related to another assistant's salary, which led to the closure of that case without charges due to his voluntary repayment.

The current request for sentencing contrasts with a previous one-year firm sentence imposed on Fillon by the Paris Court of Appeal in May 2022, which the prosecutor's recommendations have now dismissed.

While the court will review penalties and damages, it will not reassess Fillon's guilty verdict, which includes embezzling over a million euros from the French state.