PARIS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- An eventual merger between French carmaker Renault and Italian-American auto giant Fiat-Chrysler should protect French interests and preserve jobs in the country, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Tuesday.
Le Maire told France Inter radio that the proposed merger is "a great opportunity" for Renault and the European auto industry, as it would allow more investment in new technologies and guarantee future jobs.
"The automotive industry is facing the most important technological challenges, such as those related to electric batteries and autonomous vehicles, which will require billions of euros in investment. (That's why) we need to bring these forces together," he said.
Le Maire stressed that the French government would be "particularly vigilant" on "a certain number of guarantees" to defend national interests.
This includes protecting French jobs, ensuring France proper representation on the board of the new entity, and making certain that Renault-Fiat becomes a leader in the development of electric batteries.
"Since I have agreed to the opening of negotiations, it is up to (Renault Board Chairman) Jean-Dominique Senard to come back to me in the coming days on the guarantees he was able to obtain from Fiat," Le Maire said.
On Monday, Fiat proposed a 50-50 merger with Renault, in which the French state owns a 15 percent stake, to create the world's third largest automaker and share development costs on technology.
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