With just over two months to go before the first round of France's presidential election, conservative candidate François Fillon is mired in a scandal over the hiring of his wife and children as parliamentary aides. The former frontrunner is now edged in opinion polls by far-right leader Marine Le Pen and centrist newcomer Emmanuel Macron. As Fillon battles to keep his run alive, he is also warning that if he is forced out, many of his sympathisers could throw their support behind Le Pen.