FILE PHOTO: French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire delivers a speech during a high-level forum on debt at the Finance ministry in Paris, France, May 7, 2019. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

PARIS (Reuters) - The French government is open to tie-ups involving Renault as long as French industrial interests are protected, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Thursday.

Le Maire also said the government would consider any Renault deal with Fiat that respected the French firm’s alliance with its Japanese partner Nissan, which he said was not the case in the Italian group’s dropped offer.

“We remain open to any industrial consolidation opportunity, but without rushing in order to guarantee the industrial interests of Renault and the French nation,” Le Maire told the Senate in a weekly government questions session.