France Wants Stellantis, Renault to Favor Local Car Suppliers

France wants Stellantis NV and Renault SA to favor local parts suppliers to protect jobs and keep know-how in the region as Europe’s automakers deepen ties with manufacturers from China.

The two carmakers “must play their part on European preference, including in terms of purchases with their suppliers,” French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said in an interview published in La Tribune Dimanche’s May 17 edition. “Industrial sovereignty must be a collective battle.”

President Emmanuel Macron’s government has long backed rules favoring local content for electric cars as Brussels works on new auto-industry regulation. Chinese automakers, meanwhile, are trying to ...