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Macron challenged to help save threatened tyre plant

Regional president Xavier Bertrand made the call ahead of a ministerial visit to the site in northern France.

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

France should invest in a Bridgestone tyre plant threatened with closure, the head of its regional government who plans to run against President Emmanuel Macron in 2022 said on Sunday, ahead of a ministerial visit to the site, reports Channel News Asia.

The call by Xavier Bertrand, a former minister who now leads the Hauts-de-France region, adds pressure on the government to prevent an outright closure of the facility, as the coronavirus pandemic batters confidence.

The Japanese tyre maker's announcement on Wednesday that it planned to close the Béthune plant, which employs 863 workers in Bertrand's northern region, drew swift government condemnation.

Labour Minister Élisabeth Borne is expected to visit the factory on Monday.

Read more of this report from Channel News Asia.