Alstom! President Nicolas Sarkozy will never tire of telling Sarkozy the Minister of Finance in 2004. Whoever saved Alstom decommissioning by the German Siemens. He never ceased to recall this episode, during countless visits to factories. It is true that the rescue of Alstom was the founding act of Sarkozy statist. Finally, more along the lines of Napoleon III and Saint-Simonian as laissez-faire and ultraliberalism which accused his opponents.

During the 2007 campaign, the candidate Sarkozy has never released this theme. He was seen walking the plant “more than all the candidates from left, like he repeats, in criticizing the years Jospin, when the Socialists attempted to explain that” the State can not do everything ” . This direct contact, rough, with workers in their production sites became “the” visual signature of the candidate in 2007, and the new president.

So much for the rhetoric and symbols. Regarding acts, the Elysee said that the States General of the industry are a step in a long list of initiatives that have already been implemented. Since four billion research tax credit (CIR) voted in 2007, affecting 80% industry, until the reform of business tax – offset by the Parliament – through the great debt, and creation of a Strategic Investment Fund (ISF), excluding the merger of GDF with Suez. Sarkozy believes that it has twice as hard on the industry since his election. And if the results are awaited crisis requires, the Elysee said that “for the first time, the market share of French exporters in the euro area began to recover after more than ten years of decline” payday advance lenders .

This intervention, he claims, is intended to continue and even increase. Because, says the head of state is what the public expects of him. The closure of the plant Gandrange folder in which he pledged personally, was not well received, even if the workers have been reclassified. Result, he does not hesitate to push his Minister of Industry, Christian Estrosi, nothing to loose on sensitive issues such as Molex, Heuliez or Philips. A few days ago, he also lobbied for Christophe de Margerie as Total – a group 100% private – do not touch its French refineries, but overcapacity.

The new milestone was reached Thursday: the reorganization of the state shareholder. More questions to leave as much freedom as before to companies in which the state has an interest.In announcing that henceforth, a representative of the Ministry of Industry or ministry will be named “systematically” the board – next to the administrator of the Agency for State Participation (EPA) — the message is clear: the state will no longer have eyes only on its financial business, he also wants a say on strategy. The Elysee said that this concerns mainly La Poste, France Telecom and Renault …. What could prevent future, Carlos Ghosn is urgently summoned to the Elysee when the guidelines that the CEO wants to take his automotive group is not to the liking of its largest shareholder …

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