French Officials Demand Government Action to Secure Jobs at Everllence Amid Volkswagen Stake Sale

On July 2, 2026, David Samzun, mayor of Saint-Nazaire, and Philippe Grosvalet, senator for Loire-Atlantique, formally addressed concerns to Minister of Economy Roland Lescure regarding Volkswagen's recent divestment of 51% of its stake in Everllence to American firm Bain Capital. This transaction, announced on June 25, has alarmed French local officials due to a lack of guarantees for Everllence's French operations, particularly the critical Saint-Nazaire plant employing around 600 workers.

Samzun and Grosvalet stressed the strategic importance of the Saint-Nazaire site, which manufactures Pielstick engines essential to France's national sovereignty, having been utilized for nearly 80 years in submarines and nuclear power plants. They underscored the discrepancy between Volkswagen's commitments to safeguard production at five German sites and the absence of similar assurances for France. The officials also recalled former Minister Bruno Le Maire's prior commitment to preserving national defense industrial capabilities domestically.

The letter urged the government to ensure that France retains strategic control over Everllence's operations amid growing international uncertainty, advocating for sustained investment and job security at the Saint-Nazaire site. This intervention highlights mounting apprehension about the future trajectory of a key industrial asset following a significant change in ownership structure, with direct implications for regional employment and the national defense sector.