France, Oct. 23 -- Former French prime minister Francois Fillon has lost his final legal appeal over a fake jobs scandal that destroyed his 2017 presidential run.

Europe's top human rights court rejected Fillon's efforts on Thursday to overturn his conviction for misusing public funds. Judges at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) said his claim that he did not receive a fair trial was "manifestly ill-founded".

The ruling closes a case that once reshaped French politics. Fillon had been favourite to become president in 2017 until allegations emerged that he paid his wife, Penelope, for a fictional job as his parliamentary assistant.

The scandal cost him support and he finished third in the first round with 20 percent of the vote....