Michel Barnier said on Tuesday that he wanted “to know” what groups Auchan and Michelinwho are planning to close several sites, with thousands of jobs threatened, have made “public money given to them”.. “I’m not proud (…) of a policy that would destroy jobs, ever.”added the Prime Minister in front of the National Assembly, questioned by the president of the Communist group André Chassaigne during the government question time.

“I’m concerned to know what has been done in these groups with the public money we’ve given them. I want to know. And so we’re going to ask questions and we’re going to see whether this money has been well or badly used so that we can learn from it.”he added. Michel Barnier said he was “in disagreement” with the decision of the Michelin automotive group to close its sites in Vannes (Morbihan) and Cholet (Maine-et-Loire), where a total of 1254 employees work. He indicated that he had met with its CEO Florent Menegaux “a few days ago”.. For its part, Auchan plans to cut 2,389 jobs, including the closure of a dozen stores, in a bid to revive its fortunes after several difficult years.

The Prime Minister expressed the wish that these groups “work with the local fabric, local elected representatives (…) trade unions, local employers, chambers of commerce.” for “put (…) together all the tools we have at our disposal to support each employee individually and to support these territories in the possibility of reconversion”.. “We need to create or recreate industrial jobs, as well as maintain agricultural employment in our country.”asserted the head of government, referring to the creation in early 2025 of a “industrial savings accountas well as “European answers with “less naivety” in the face of foreign competition “not always fair.