Bloomberg: France’s Royal Says State Ready to Sell Energy Company Stakes

France is ready to sell stakes in energy companies as part of a privatization plan as long as the government maintains the power to steer strategy, according to Environment Minister Segolene Royal.

The state could sell as much as is possible “to still be able to keep power to strategically steer a company,” she said yesterday in an interview on France 5 television when asked about the possible disposal of shares in Electricite de France SA and GDF Suez SA. (GSZ)

“When the holding of the state can be lowered while keeping the same power for the state on steering these strategic companies then there is no reason to keep some of these financial stakes in the fridge,” Royal said. “We looked at it on a case by case basis.”
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