Groupe ADP : Over a million in France sign petition for referendum on ADP privatisation

A petition calling for a referendum on the possible privatisation of French airport operator ADP has attracted more than one million signatures, France's highest court said on Wednesday, as opposition to the government's plans builds.

The government plans to sell all or part of its 50.6% stake in ADP, worth around 8.8 billion euros (7.6 billion pounds) at current market prices, as part of a drive to divest some state holdings to finance a 10 billion euros innovation fund.

But the move has faced criticism from a variety of opponents who are demanding a referendum and have accused President Emmanuel Macron's government of selling valuable national assets.

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Matthieu Protard; Editing by Mark Potter)