The deal went almost up to the wire: competing bidders had fallen away, and the Canadian- Russian concern was the only horse left in the race. The future didn’t look good for Opel Antwerp, which seemed certain to face closure, leaving Flemish minister-president Kris Peeters with no other option than to turn to the EU in the hope that they might refuse to allow the state aid package promised by the German government to protect Opel production there. Then all of a sudden last week, the bride changed her mind, and the wedding was off. Opel would no longer be sold. “The case has taken an extraordinary turn,” said Peeters, putting it mildly.

GM explained that the about-turn was a result of “improved economic circumstances,” including a boost given to the new cars market in the US by the government’s “cash for clunkers” programme. The company itself has changed since filing for Chapter 11 protection on 1 June in New York. That move led to serious restructuring, with the help of $30 billion in US government aid, which means that GM is now no longer the company it was when the hiving-off of Opel was first debated. The management has changed (with CEO Rick Wagoner replaced by former number two Fritz Henderson), the shareholders have changed, the board has changed, and the prospects for the company in general are different.

However, it remains to be seen if there is any change in the prospects for Opel Antwerp. Both Opel in Germany and German federal and regional politicians were harshly critical of the announcement, with economy minister Rainer Brüderle calling it “completely unacceptable”. The German press described the decision as “a slap in the face” for chancellor Angela Merkel, after her government had paid €1.5 billion in bridging credit to GM. The loss of the German advantage is in some way a benefit to Opel workers elsewhere – in Poland, England, Spain and Flanders.

But unions at Opel Antwerp are reluctant to rejoice: “It would be very foolish to react emotionally just now,” said ABVV representative Rudi Kennes, the face of the Opel Antwerp resistance. But its chances of remaining open are slim. Peeters, meanwhile, has called for clarity. “We need to know as soon as possible what the consequences are for Antwerp,” he said. “GM had a restructuring plan ready, and it was not good for us. Now there is another plan, and we’d like to know what it contains.” He intends to meet with GM representatives this week for discussions. In the meantime, he has called together the Opel working group, consisting of political, business and union representatives, to prepare a response, whatever the outcome may be for Antwerp.