Former French Prime Minister Raymond Barre has died, aged 83.
Raymond Barre, the centrist technocrat who served as French prime minister for five years from 1976 to 1981, has died in Paris at the age of 83.
The centrist politician served in the post for five years from 1976-81, under the presidency of Valery Giscard d'Estaing.
He succeeded Jacques Chirac in the post, serving under President Valery Giscard d'Estaing who called him "France's best economist".
Earlier in his career he was vice-president of the European Commission and was also mayor of Lyon from 1995-2001.
He also served as a European commissioner and mayor of Lyon.
He died in a Parisian hospital. He had been receiving treatment for a heart condition since April.
Seen as arrogant by some, he said in later life: "The French must understand that my policies were right."
Barre was little-known until he was appointed by President Giscard d'Estaing to succeed Jacques Chirac in 1976.
France has just lost one of its best servants Valery Giscard d'Estaingformer French president
Dubbed "France's best economist" by the president, Barre cut thousands of jobs in the loss-making steel and coal industries.
Mr Barre died in a Parisian hospital. He had been receiving treatment for a heart condition since April.
He remained in power until the Socialist victory of 1981 brought Francois Mitterrand to the presidency.
"France has just lost one of its best servants," Mr Giscard d'Estaing said in a statement released on Saturday by French news agency AFP.
"Raymond Barre was a statesman who pursued no personal goal but sought to ensure the well-being of our country through exceptional competence and dedicated work."
'Mozart and Westerns'
He was little known until his appointment as prime minister, having pursued an academic career as an economist, but he did serve from 1967-73 as commissioner for economic and financial affairs in the European Economic Community, a forerunner of the EU.
As head of the government, he cut thousands of jobs in the loss-making steel and coal industries.
His tenure ended in 1981 with the Socialist victory that brought Francois Mitterrand to the presidency.
He stood for president himself in 1988, winning 16.53% of the vote in the first round but losing out to Mitterrand and Mr Chirac.
After serving as mayor of Lyon from 1995-2001, he retired from active politics in June 2002.
Raymond Barre was born in the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion on 12 April 1924, into a well-to-do Roman Catholic family.
Married and with two sons, he enjoyed listening to Mozart and watching Westerns, Reuters news agency notes.
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