French politicking killed FCA merger with Renault

This week, Daniel Howes says parochial French politicking effectively killed Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV’s proposed merger with Renault SA of France. Increasing French demands to benefit French interests signaled to FCA’s leadership the likely shape of things to come as they considered the scale of the merger they proposed to execute. What did they expect from politicians controlling a 15% stake in Renault, evidently believed to be a license to call the shots and set the rules?