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.
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.
He succeeded Jacques Chirac in the post, serving under President Valery Giscard d'Estaing who called him "France's best economist".
He succeeded Jacques Chirac in the post, serving under President Valery Giscard d'Estaing who called him "France's best economist".
He also served as a European commissioner and mayor of Lyon.
He also served as a European commissioner and mayor of Lyon.
Seen as arrogant by some, he said in later life: "The French must understand that my policies were right."
Seen as arrogant by some, he said in later life: "The French must understand that my policies were right."
France has just lost one of its best servants Valery Giscard d'Estaingformer French president
France has just lost one of its best servants Valery Giscard d'Estaingformer French president
Mr Barre died in a Parisian hospital. He had been receiving treatment for a heart condition since April.
Mr Barre died in a Parisian hospital. He had been receiving treatment for a heart condition since April.
"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.
"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."
"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'
Austerity drive
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.
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.
As head of the government, he cut thousands of jobs in the loss-making steel and coal industries.
His austerity drive, involving wholesale job cuts, made him highly unpopular, BBC Europe analyst Mike Sanders notes.
He responded by mocking banner-waving trade unionists, telling them to stop whingeing and start working.
To compound his unpopularity, he was accused of anti-Semitism in 1980 after a clumsy comment about a bomb attack outside a Paris synagogue that killed four "innocent French passers-by", as he put it, instead of the Jews for which it was intended.
His tenure ended in 1981 with the Socialist victory that brought Francois Mitterrand to the presidency.
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.
'Jewish lobby'
Barre 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.
After serving as mayor of Lyon from 1995-2001, he retired from active politics in June 2002.
In a French radio interview a few months before his death, Mr Barre reignited controversy when he suggested that the row over his remarks about the synagogue bombing had been stirred up by a "Jewish lobby".
He also spoke positively about two controversial figures with Lyon connections - the late wartime Nazi collaborator Maurice Papon and contemporary French far-right politician Bruno Gollnisch.
Raymond Barre was born in the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion on 12 April 1924, into a well-to-do Roman Catholic family.
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.
Married and with two sons, he enjoyed listening to Mozart and watching Westerns, Reuters news agency notes.
Send us your memories of Raymond Barre using the form below.
Send us your memories of Raymond Barre using the form below.
