French MPs forced to fire family members employed in parliamentary offices but can keep lovers on staff

Those found guilty of breaking the new law, could face three years in prison and fines of up to €45,000 ( £40,248)

(REUTERS)

Turmoil could hit the households of French MPs after the Government passed a law that prevents them from employing members of their family as parliamentary assistants.

The law presented by Emmanuel Macron's government is a response to the scandal that mired right-wing presidential candidate Francois Fillon earlier this year, when the center-right candidate and presidential favourite was accused of paying his wife and children for work in his office that they allegedly never carried out. An investigation by a financial affairs judge is still ongoing.

The new rule will apply to both ministers and members of parliament.

Those found guilty of breaking it, could face three years in prison and fines of up to €45,000 ( £40,248).

The law originally included lovers and anyone "who has a romantic relationship" with an MP, including former partners, grand-parents and grand-children.

But that version was rejected after a number of politicians pointed out it would have forced them to define a "romantic relationship".

Criticising the bill, MP Julien Aubert for the conservative Les Republicains party said the new law was excessive.

"It's like pig flu: One pig is ill and the whole herd gets out down," he said.

One MP has already been forced to sack his wife who he employed as a parliamentary assistant.

Yannick Favennec, who represents La Mayenne, a department in northwest France, told the Ouest France newspaper that his wife had been "a collateral victim" of Mr Fillon, who is alleged to have spent nearly €1m (£890,000) of public money to employ his Welsh wife Penelope and their children in fictitious parliamentary assistant jobs.

After short-lived stint as the election campaign's frontrunner, the long time favourite was knocked out in the first round of the election in May.

Mr Favennec insisted: "We are going to penalise competent, educated people who are really during the work. We are about 20 MPs who will have to let go of our parliamentary assistants despite their work having been recognised. My wife has been my parliamentary assistant for nine years and she has to pay for others' mistakes. She will be fired without any professional reason."

He added that although no-one was irreplaceable, working with a family member one trusted enabled to carry out work more effectively.

About one in six MPs in France has a family member drawing a salary as an assistant.

The move may have upset some MPs and their families but critics of Mr Macron have also accused the new President of hypocrisy after he demanded a full-time first lady role be created for his wife Brigitte.

The status of first lady is not recognised as an official position in the French Republic but Le Point reported that a first lady charter was being prepared to define her role.

The new law on family employment is part of Mr Macron's campaign pledge to "moralise public life" and end practices blamed for widespread distrust among voters.

Mr Macron is also planning a crackdown on how freely MPs use the substantial budgets allotted to them.

MPs in France currently have a budget of €130,000 (£116,159) a year on top on their own pay and secretarial funds which Mr Macron's government says is not properly overseen in the way it is used.