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22:01 GMT
PARIS, Jan 16 (KUNA) -- France is pushing for the board of car-maker Renault to remove its current CEO Carlos Ghosn who has been in detention in Japan for two months on allegations of financial and tax misdoings, government sources said on Wednesday.
Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told "LCI" television that he wanted a meeting of the board "in the coming days" to select a new chief at Renault in which the French State has a 15 percent shareholding and has the largest single stake in the company.
Renault also has a 43.6 percent stake in Japan's Nissan where Ghosn, 64, is also CEO and is accused of filing violations for his revenue and also a more serious breach of confidence charge that has a 20-year possible jail term.
Ghosn masterminded the merger of the two Japanese and French auto giants several years ago, and also a deal that incorporated Mitsubishi at a later date.
Nissan's Japanese board of directors has now already removed Ghosn from the helm of the auto giant but Paris had waited to see the outcome of a court appearance on Tuesday by the Franco-Lebanese-Brazilian CEO.
The court brought additional charges against Ghosn, meaning he will not be released any time soon.
Ghosn's wife has complained that he has lost weight and is not being given medication he needs and she protested the harsh detention and interrogation conditions in the Tokyo jail.
Le Maire said that the jailed Renault boss was no longer able to assume his functions and he called for a new "lasting leadership" at the French auto maker, a move that is likely within days.
France, nonetheless, earlier this week called on Japan to ensure proper detention conditions for Ghosn and urged Tokyo to respect the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. (end)
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