France takes the lead – Macron: The French state will control energy companies to ensure sovereignty

Electricite de France SA, in which Macron’s government owns 84 percent, is currently studying a plan to nationalize the company, according to sources cited by the government. Bloomberg.

Mexico City / Paris, April 17 (However / EFE / AP) FranceAnd Emmanuel MacronIn the midst of his campaign for re-election as prime minister of his country, he said that the state would have to take control from “Some” energy companies to Enhance energy independence French thus preventing free increment Electricity prices and gas.

According to a report issued by Macron, he said, “The state must take responsibility for the various aspects of the energy sector.” Bloomberg. “We will have to take back control of the various industrial players,” he added.

Electricite de France SA, in which Macron’s government owns 84 percent, is currently studying a plan to nationalize the company, according to sources cited by the government. Bloomberg. This is due to the fact that the mentioned company has a large amount of debt and is focused on the future of nuclear energy production.

Macron, in which she is directly contested but still favored by Marine Le Pen in the second round of France’s presidential election, has promised to appoint a prime minister who will be directly responsible for green planning.

This in turn will be supported by two ministers who will exchange environmental planning in the regions and energy, to leave gas, coal and oil behind, in exchange for more renewable energies and the promotion of nuclear energy, with what the liberal wants to guarantee. Energy independence in the country.

Macron is insisting on his strategy of the Environment and Economy Alliance, betting on investment and innovation to replace fossil fuels with hydrogen, especially in transportation, and encouraging the purchase of electric cars that can be paid for with a plan of one hundred euros per month.

This strategy of reconciling the environmental concern of new generations with the concern of seeing the imposition of a new way of life as a wall for most climate skeptics, will pass through the promotion of education in sustainable development, the training of 400,000 people in new professions and even the creation of an annual “Nature Festival” – In May – to the glorification of the relationship with nature.

The candidate, who represents a center-right current with social connotations, repeated slogans to defend the balance of the state in which the country was condemned for “inaction”, for failing to meet its carbon reduction commitments between 2015 and 2018.

Already last week, Macron considered the “shocking” and “excessive” bonus for the CEO of Stylantis, Carlos Tavares, who received 19.1 million euros for the 2021 account, and wants a European level to set a “ceiling” and regulate what great CEOs can get.

“If this is not the case, then society will explode,” Macron emphasized in an interview with the station. France informationOn the occasion of the second round of the presidential elections on April 24, in which Le Pen will face the far-right.

He insisted that this issue should be addressed in the European Union because the French state is “not a direct shareholder” in Stylantis, in addition to the fact that the company is headquartered in the Netherlands, although its operational headquarters is divided between France, Italy and other countries. United State.

The aim is to avoid “arbitrary pay” and so his proposal is to “set ceilings” and “acceptable” company management.

Asked about the idea of ​​capping wages within a company at 20 times what the lowest-paid worker earns, he replied that in principle he “supports corporate freedom” but in Tavares’ case “we are at astronomical levels.”

Le Pen said, with the support of many working-class voters, that more workers should be contributors. “Of course, this is scandalous and even more scandalous when it is CEOs who put their company in trouble,” he said on Friday in televised comments. B..

He considered that “one of the ways of reducing these payments, which are usually inconsistent with economic life, might be to accept the workers as shareholders.”

Stellantis supported the package, although the annual meeting of shareholders rejected it with 52.1 percent to 47.9 percent of the vote. The meeting was chaired by the Netherlands, the legal headquarters of the company. Under Dutch civil law, voting is advisory and non-binding.

The company said in a statement that it took note of the vote, as it will explain in a future report.

Stellantis, whose brands include Peugeot, Fiat, Jeep, Opel and Maserati, reported that its net profit last year tripled to 13.4 billion euros ($15.2 billion),

The French government is the third largest shareholder in Stellantis, owning 6.15 percent through Bpifrance Participations SA, the public investment bank.