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A Friday email from the European Union鈥檚 anti-fraud group claimed that two of French National Front leader Marine Le Pen鈥檚 employees received salaries as European Parliament assistants, positions about which the unit鈥檚 probe discovered 鈥渟erious irregularities,鈥� according to the email.

The latest allegations make Ms. Le Pen the second major presidential contender to face fraud accusations after the French newspaper 鈥溾�� published an article stating that Conservative frontrunner Fran莽ois Fillon provided his wife and two of his children with fictitious employment as parliamentary assistants 鈥� positions from which they received income for years.

While Mr. Fillon has been forthright about the fact that his family did indeed hold such positions and received salaries, he has repeatedly claimed that they performed the required work and thus committed no legal infraction.

While maintaining his official innocence, Fillon has agreed that the French people no longer condone such practices and has apologized for his lapse in judgment, saying that he made a 鈥渕istake,鈥� .

Although Fillon says he believes he technically committed no legal offense, the report has had devastating consequences for his presidential campaign with 65 percent of the population polled expressing their desire to see the Conservative leader drop his candidacy, .

The rapid drop in popularity for the Conservative nominee initially appeared to propel Le Pen towards the French presidency.聽

Le Pen, are sometimes compared with those of American President Donald Trump, strongly advocates nationalism and economic protectionism, promising to pull France out of the European Union 鈥� positions that have gained popularity recently among the populous that has grown frustrated with open border policies and global economic instability.

Current president聽Fran莽ois Hollande, who has led the country for the past five years, has reached all-time lows in approval ratings, with nearly 90 percent of the population disapproving of the Socialist leader.

, Hollande's predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy never fell beneath 30 percent approval.

While his popularity had risen slightly following the initial Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack in Paris France, the continually-high unemployment rates as well as further extremist attacks throughout France have driven his numbers to record lows and swung the French political climate towards the right 鈥� the spectrum dominated by Le Pen following Mr. Fillon鈥檚 fraud accusations.

鈥淭here was absolutely nothing fake, no fake jobs,鈥� Le Pen radio Friday, . She has subsequently filed complaints against OLAF 鈥� the EU鈥檚 anti fraud body challenging the information at the EU General Court in Luxembourg.

OLAF however maintains that serious irregularities exist for a Le Pen staffer who was wasn鈥檛 working as a Parliamentary Assistant but did receive compensation estimated at 336,146 euros ($357,000) of improper payments from EU funds.

Le Pen maintains she has never met with OLAF investigators, but told France Bleu that she 鈥渘ot in the good books of the European Commission鈥� based on her outspoken desire to remove France from the European Union.

Yet to be seen is the effect the recent allegations will have on polling numbers as now Independent Centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron becomes the only member of the three frontrunners currently not facing fraud allegations.

Meanwhile remains in fourth place with 16 percent of the vote, .