On October 23, international media reported that Carlos Tavares, the former CEO of Stellantis, cautioned that the automotive giant "could face disintegration."

In an interview, Tavares highlighted that a combination of factors—including slumping demand in Western markets, intensifying competition from Chinese automakers, and geopolitical tensions—could destabilize the delicate "tripartite balance" among Stellantis' Italian, French, and U.S. operations.

He also raised the possibility that Stellantis might consider splitting its European and North American businesses. Under such a scenario, Chinese automakers could potentially acquire the European division, while the U.S. side might reclaim its North American operations to concentrate on its domestic market.

According to reports, Tavares stepped down in December of the previous year, with Antonio Filosa taking over as CEO. Filosa officially assumed the role in June of this year.

Citing the Italian market as an example, Tavares had previously advocated for relocating Stellantis' Italian production to lower-cost regions, such as Morocco in Africa. This proposal, however, strained relations between Stellantis and the Italian government.

As a result, Stellantis pledged at the end of last year to introduce new models to its Italian factories in an effort to repair ties.

On October 20 of this year, Stellantis' new CEO, Antonio Filosa, met with trade unions and reaffirmed that the company is rigorously executing tasks in line with the Italian long-term strategic plan unveiled in December of the previous year. He disclosed that the Mirafiori plant will hire an additional 400 workers to support production of the Fiat 500 hybrid model, with the plant set to launch a second shift in February of the following year.

Additionally, it's noteworthy that Filosa has scrapped some European market investment plans and committed to investing $13 billion in the crucial U.S. market over the next four years. This move has further fueled concerns among European trade unions.

Overall, Stellantis is grappling with substantial challenges in maintaining equilibrium across its Italian, French, and U.S. operations.