The President of RenaultJean-Dominique senard, does not resign and relaunches the dream of a merger with FCA. At the French automaker's meeting held yesterday, Senard claimed he was certain that "there was real potential for success in that project” for “robust and enhancing synergies” and has not lost hope of relaunching it in the near future: “Never say never".
"I can't get it out of my head", added Senard who also revealed that the idea of an agreement with FCA for a merger wasn't his but had been suggested to him by the French Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, who – like Macron – he then had to backtrack for the contrary pressure of the transalpine establishment, which made the initial political conditions for the marriage between the two car manufacturers disappear.
Senard said to himself sincerely sorry for the missed wedding with FCA, which would have given birth to the world's first manufacturer, but it is said that the game cannot be reopened, also because the French are realizing that they have no better alternatives to the merger with the group led by John Elkann.
But first they will have to normalize relations with the Japanese Nissan. In this regard, Senard also specified that he had tried to immediately involve the Japanese in the FCA operation, to the point that initially the representatives of Nissan had announced a "positive abstention". Then the situation escalated. However, it is not excluded that the games will reopen and that Macron himself wants to take the situation back in hand.
The French Finance Minister also intervened again on the issue, Bruno LeMaire, who during an interview with France Info, declared: "The talks could resume after the restoration of confidence". Le Maire will meet Senard today, 13 June in order to clarify the position of the French state.
However, the minister denied that the State had vetoed the operation, claiming that he had only asked for 5 more days to evaluate an agreement that he continues to consider "an interesting opportunity".
