Germany caught unaware by GM decision

The German government appears to have been caught unaware by a surprise announcement from General Motors on Tuesday evening (3 November) to call off the planned sale of its European arm, Opel-Vauxhall.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel – in Washington at the time as the announcement – had championed the Opel sale to Canadian car parts firm Magna as the best way to save German jobs.

"The German government regrets the decision," government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said in a statement...