This archive report was first published on 3 August 2019.
On August 2, 2019, US media reported that Nissan and Renault are considering changes to their partnership in order to reinvigorate merger negotiations with Fiat Chrysler.
Negotiations for a tie-up between Renault and Fiat Chrysler (FCA) collapsed in June, with Renault's chairman blaming the French government for blocking a vote on the deal.
The French government has denied the allegation, while Nissan has characterized its relationship with Renault as unequal and said the French automaker kept it in the dark over its merger plans with FCA.
Nissan controls 15 percent of Renault and has no voting rights, while Renault owns 43 percent of Nissan.
A rebalanced relationship would help ease some of the tensions between the two automakers and relieve Nissan's reluctance to back the merger with FCA.
Any agreement would need the green-light of the French state, which owns 15 percent of Renault.
That approval isn't a given: French President Emmanuel Macron said in late June that he wouldn't consider any changes to the two companies' structure.
Nissan declined to comment to AFP, while Renault did not respond to a request for comment.
