Automotive

Stellantis, Parliament presses Elkann: 'Report on posts'. Salvini: take the money and run

The League: we are curious to know how much the former CEO will get as a financial 'reward' after his disastrous management

by Redaction Rome

2 December 2024

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Audizione Stellantis, Conte: "Elkann ci metta la faccia e venga in Parlamento"

5' min read

Key points

Salvini: on Stellantis I am offended by Elkann management
Tajani: Stellantis has a moral duty to operate in Italy
Urso: after talks with Elkann, we are confident about Italy's role
Gusmeroli: "Elkann told me 'not now in Parliament'"
Fdi: Elkann as soon as possible in Parliament
Pd: now turn the page, Elkann come to Parliament
Conte: worries about the future, Elkann comes to Parliament
Bonelli-Fratoianni: now Elkann in Parliament

5' min read

"We will do our best to defend employment and the supply chain. We have a table with Stellantis convened in mid-December, we hope it will be the decisive one." This was stated by Premier Giorgia Meloni. There is bipartisan pressure from politicians, from FdI to Pd, from M5s to Avs, for John Elkann to come to Parliament as soon as possible to report on the future of Stellantis after the demissions of the group's Carlos Tavares. With the government and with the opposition the clash in recent months has been very heated: a month ago Tavares was in a parliamentary hearing, where the clash had been tough.

Salvini: on Stellantis I am offended by Elkann management

It is a property that has little Italian in it now, which has taken money in Italy for decades to open factories abroad,' said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Matteo Salvini. "We need to convene the unions," the minister added. "My thoughts as Minister of Transport are close to the workers and their families, we will do everything to safeguard them," Salvini reassured, concluding that Stellantis "is the worst example of how to do business with public money". On the Stellantis affair, according to Salvini, John 'Elkann should have already come to Parliament and not with words, with a cheque that recalls how many billions of euro over the years this company of public money has collected, there are still loans guaranteed by the State for billions of euro, against what economic results, what closures, what redundancies and redundancy funds'. The minister emphasised that 'this company that when there is something to gain, cashes in and runs away, and when there is something to ask for, it asks for it from its workers'.

Tajani: Stellantis has a moral duty to operate in Italy

"I believe that after all the support this company has had from the state, it has a moral duty to continue to operate in our country, taking into account the changes that are taking place," said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani. "Europe will also have to play its part, we need to change some rules, I'm thinking of the block on the production of non-electric cars from 2035, so there is a path to take," Tajani added.

Urso: after talks with Elkann, we are confident about Italy's role

"In the conversation with John Elkann, the conditions emerged for us to be confident of being able to share an Italian plan that sees our country at the centre of European car development," said Minister Adolfo Urso the day after the meeting in India with the Stellantis patron. "Now Stellantis also shares the need to review the decarbonisation path," Urso added.

Gusmeroli: "Elkann told me 'not now in Parliament'"

I ask you 'once again to attend a joint hearing before the parliamentary committees of the Chamber and Senate to discuss in Parliament the Stellantis group's industrial plan, the continuity of production and the preservation of jobs in our country'. This is what is stated in the letter sent to John Elkann by President of the Productive Activities Commission of the Chamber of Deputies Alberto Gusmeroli. Gusmeroli underlines 'the willingness of all political forces to know the strategic vision of Stellantis' reference partner' and 'the need to continue a positive dialogue in Parliament'.

'These reflections,' writes Gusmeroli (Lega) in the document sent yesterday, 'are even more important in light of recent press reports regarding the resignation of the CEO, Carlos Tavares, and the establishment of a new executive committee chaired by you to complete the process of appointing the new CEO and ensure 'the timely implementation of the company's strategy in the long-term interest of Stellantis and all its stakeholders'.

Gusmeroli then went on to say: 'I had a telephone conversation' with John Elkann, president of Stellantis. "In response to my renewed request for a hearing, he thanked me for the attention that Parliament continues to pay to the automotive sector and to Stellantis, but at this stage, however, he asserted that he was waiting for the closure of the discussion table with the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy". "It will be possible to identify a subsequent moment of institutional confrontation, as also requested by the motions presented in Parliament."

Fdi: Elkann as soon as possible in Parliament

Within hours of the Portuguese mangaer's resignation came party demands for a hearing in Parliament for Elkann. 'It was time for Tavares to leave, but the transition to new management requires responsibility, protection of jobs and enhancement of skills. It therefore becomes even more important for John Elkann to appear in Parliament as soon as possible to report on the future of Stellantis," asks Tommaso Foti, leader of the Fratelli d'Italia group in the Chamber of Deputies. "We are curious to know how much Carlos Tavares will take as an economic 'prize' after his disastrous management," the Lega confines himself to saying. "Tavares: more millions than solutions. He will not be regretted,' commented Forza Italia group leader Maurizio Gasparri.

Pd: now turn the page, Elkann come to Parliament

'Tavares' resignation,' commented Antonio Misiani, Head of Economy in the PDD secretariat, 'highlights the seriousness of the crisis that has hit Stellantis and the entire European automotive industry. Now we must turn the page and everyone must do their part. The company, by putting in place an industrial plan that is up to an extremely difficult phase. The government, by restoring the industrial policy instruments absurdly cut with the budget law. We will again ask John Elkann to come to Parliament to discuss the future of Stellantis and the industry'.

Conte: worries about the future, Elkann comes to Parliament

"He is resigning as CEO of Stellantis Tavares, whom we have harshly contested in recent months, even when he came to Parliament, for the industrial prospects that are completely absent," says M5S leader Giuseppe Conte. 'A manager is leaving,' he adds, 'but there remains on the table the enormous concern for the future of the factories, of the allied industries, of so many workers grappling with stoppages, orders that are skipping, redundancy payments. Tomorrow (Monday 2 December, ed.) in Pomigliano we will be with them to listen to their positions and to discuss possible solutions'. He added: 'Even before the new CEO is appointed, Elkann should come to Parliament to explain to us how they plan to deal with the current crisis. The government should finally strike a blow: so far it has been conspicuous by its absence. The future of the automotive industry cannot be left to improvisation'.

Bonelli-Fratoianni: now Elkann immediately in Parliament

The same request came from Angelo Bonelli and Nicola Fratoianni of Avs: 'Tavares is the one who started a process of delocalisation of the automotive industry in Italy, with policies that caused breakdowns and redundancies and delayed technological innovation processes. At this point Stellantis has a duty to say what it wants to do with its plants and what its industrial plan is. For these reasons we demand that Elkann be immediately heard in Parliament'.