French former prime minister Francois Fillon | Stephane De Sakutin/AFP via Getty Images François Fillon will curb refugee numbers in France, says aide Limit on asylum seekers is political and economic reality, says foreign affairs advisor Bruno Le Maire.

French presidential candidate François Fillon will slow the intake 0f refugees entering France if he wins the election, according to one of his closest aides.

"A President Fillon would never accept more refugees than in the present proportions," the former Les Républicains presidential candidate Bruno Le Maire told German newspaper Bild.

"France is neither economically or politically able to do so," he added.

Fillon — whom pollsters expect to win the French election in the spring — beat Le Maire and other rivals in a November primary to decide who from France's right-leaning Les Républicains party would challenge the presidency. Le Maire now advises Fillon on foreign and European affairs and is expected to be foreign minister if Fillon wins the election.

Such a stance on refugees will dismay Berlin, which has sought to rally European leaders behind its generous refugee policy.

Le Maire said that "under no circumstance" would France bow to Berlin's wishes.

France registered around 78,000 asylum requests last year — a 10 percent increase on the previous year. Meanwhile, Germany received 280,000 requests last year, down from a record 890, 000 in 2015.

Fillon is set to visit Berlin January 23 to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel.