The conservative politician will appear before magistrates on March 15. Last week a formal judicial investigation was opened into suspected "misuse of public money" surrounding the allegations.
“The rule of law has been systematically violated," an angry Fillon told a news conference, adding: “The presumption of innocence has been entirely eliminated.” “It is indeed a political assassination. It is also the presidential election being assassinated,” he said.
"I will not yield, I will not surrender, I will not withdraw, I will go to the end… Yes I will be a candidate for the presidency of the Republic," Fillon insisted. Fillon also abruptly canceled a Wednesday morning visit to a high-profile agriculture fair, a key campaign event for every presidential candidate.
The 62-year-old former prime minister, who had initially said he would drop out of the race should a formal investigation be opened, earlier denied any wrongdoing and said he would cooperate with the judges’ summons.
Last Friday, Marine Le Pen, the far-right National Front candidate, refused to respond to a summons in another probe into whether she used European Parliament funds to pay party staff.