France said there is room to discuss the future of the Renault-Nissan alliance, but not to reopen negotiations over the partnership’s balance in the immediate aftermath of Carlos Ghosn’s removal.
A French presidency official said on Thursday that the timing was wrong for a fresh strategic push between the two carmakers, whose alliance had lasted 19 years.
“At this stage, a discussion about the future is open, but a renegotiation of the pact in the coming weeks is not,” the official said.
“It’s not the right moment to re-open strategic discussions.”
The comments followed Nissan Motor Co’s unanimous board vote to oust Ghosn after his shock arrest, a move that deepened uncertainty around the Japanese automaker’s relationship with Renault.
Ghosn’s removal raised fresh questions about how the alliance would be managed going forward, but the French side signaled that any broader review should come later.
Context ¶
The Renault-Nissan partnership had been one of the auto industry’s most closely watched cross-border alliances. The dispute over timing did not amount to a rejection of future talks, only a refusal to start them immediately.
What Nissan did ¶
Nissan’s board voted unanimously on Thursday to remove Ghosn as chairman after his arrest, setting off a period of uncertainty for the 19-year alliance with Renault.
