France's Fillon tells party 'no plan B' at crisis talks

PARIS: France's embattled rightwing candidate Francois Fillon told party colleagues at a crisis meeting on Monday that there was no alternative to him despite a fake jobs scandal engulfing his presidential bid.

"The withdrawal of Alain Juppe has confirmed that there isn't a plan B. It's time now that everyone picks themselves up," he said at a meeting of leaders of his Republicans party in Paris, according to a text of his speech.

Former premier Juppe, the most likely candidate to replace Fillon as a candidate for the Republicans, ruled out a run for the presidency on Monday morning.