The main shareholders in Peugeot owner PSA gave the green light on Monday to the group's merger with Fiat Chrysler (FCA), one of the last steps towards creating the world's fourth largest automaker.

At a special shareholder meeting, the deal to form Stellantis, the new company, was backed by more than 99 percent of the votes cast by investors with double voting rights.

These include PSA's top stakeholder, the Peugeot family, as well as China's Dongfeng, while a broader shareholder meeting was underway on Monday and FCA investors were also due to vote on the agreement.

"We are ready for this merger," PSA chief executive Carlos Tavares told the online meeting, adding the final date for the closure of the deal would be announced shortly if all shareholder approvals were granted...