Renault could disappear and the French Minister for the Economy is sounding the alarm. Bruno Le Maire said on Friday May 22 on Europe 1 that the French car manufacturer "is playing its survival". Hexagonal industrial flagship, Renault is in a very bad patch after having seen its factories and its commercial network paralyzed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Containments in Europe dropped the new home market by 76.3% in April on the Old Continent, when the group was already weakened - in 2019 it suffered its first net loss in ten years. 

In distress, the group announced that it had obtained a state guaranteed loan (PGE) of 5 billion euros after several weeks of negotiations with its banks. Bruno Le Maire nevertheless stressed that he had not yet given the green light.

"This loan, I have not yet signed it," explained the Minister of the Economy in an interview published by Le Figaro, asking the car manufacturers to commit on three points, including "the location in France of their most technologically advanced activities. " 

The Flins site "must not close" 

Renault's industrial site in Flins "must not close," insisted Bruno Le Maire on Europe 1. According to Le Canard enchaîné, the French car manufacturer would consider closing four sites in France - Flins, Dieppe, Choisy-le-Roi and the Foundries of Brittany. According to a source familiar with the matter, it would not be a question of Flins of a closure but of stopping automobile production to devote the site to another activity.

The Flins plant in the Yvelines employs 2,600 people and assembles the Zoé city cars - electric vehicles - as well as the Japanese partner Nissan's Micra.

"What seems important to us is knowing what Renault's long-term strategy is. How do they guarantee that tomorrow, electric vehicles will be located in France?" Asked Bruno Le Mayor. And to insist: "How do they guarantee that tomorrow, France will become the world's leading production center for electric vehicles for Renault?".

Responses are expected in part on May 29, when the group will present its new strategic plan. He has already put the necessary savings at 2 billion euros.

With AFP 

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