French President Emmanuel Macron arrives at a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium December 14, 2018. Alastair Grant/Pool via REUTERS
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that Ford’s (F.N) decision to end production at its plant in Blanquefort, southern France next year was “hostile” and said his government was actively seeking a buyer for the site.
“As much as I believe in a social and market-driven economy, I don’t believe in cynicism. So I consider the gesture made by Ford yesterday as hostile and unacceptable,” Macron said, speaking after a summit of European leaders in Brussels.
The U.S carmaker said on Thursday it would end production at Blanquefort by late August 2019 after rejecting a rescue deal for the factory. The move which drew ire from France’s finance minister due to the risk of large-scale job losses.
Reporting by Michel Rose, Editing by Luke Baker