The French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has lashed out at an American private equity firm, accusing it of acting like the mafia in its takeover bid for a Toulouse-based aeronautics company.
New York-based Searchlight Capital is attempting to buy a controlling stake in Latécoère. Searchlight already, which was founded in 1917, after buying shares in April, and is now moving to acquire the rest with its latest offer. There are concerns among unions that any takeover by a private equity company will lead to job losses as it did in 2015 after a similar situation at Latécoère, the radio station"This is what happens when a country no longer defends its interests," Le Pen, president of France's National Rally party, and the main challenger in the presidential race to the liberal En Marche's President Emmanuel Macron, tweeted in response to the news.
"Its strategic enterprises are at the mercy of foreign predators and mafia methods of investment funds. The passivity of the state is akin to complicity!"
This will be the only time I will agree with LePen on anything. She knows as soon as Searchlight gets control it will vacate pensions for French workers just like Bain Capital did.
(((US company)))