Barre, Raymond Octave Joseph

French centre-right politician and economist, prime minister 1976–81 under President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. Holding office during an economic recession, he gained a reputation as a tough and determined budget-cutter. Throughout his career, he remained an independent figure who never formally joined or led a political party.

Born in the French island of Réunion, in the Indian Ocean, Barre was a successful academic economist, holding a chair at the Sorbonne before serving as vice-president of the European Commission 1967–72. When appointed to the premiership, replacing Jacques Chirac, his only previous governmental experience was as minister of foreign trade 1974–76. He also held the post of minister of the economy and finance 1976–78. An early advocate of neo-liberal ideas in France and a strong defender of the Fifth Republic's institutions, he represented Lyon in the National Assembly 1978–2002 as mayor of Lyon 1995–2001. He stood unsuccessfully in the 1988 presidential elections, finishing third behind the socialist president Francois Mitterrand and the right-of-centre Gaullist Jacques Chirac.