Posted on 08/24/2007 10:34:34 PM PDT by Ghayyour
Former French Prime Minister Raymond Barre has died, aged 83. The centrist politician served in the post for five years from 1976-81, under the presidency of Valery Giscard d'Estaing.
Earlier in his career he was vice-president of the European Commission and was also mayor of Lyon from 1995-2001.
He died in a Parisian hospital. He had been receiving treatment for a heart condition since April.
Barre was little-known until he was appointed by President Giscard d'Estaing to succeed Jacques Chirac in 1976.
Dubbed "France's best economist" by the president, Barre cut thousands of jobs in the loss-making steel and coal industries.
He remained in power until the Socialist victory of 1981 brought Francois Mitterrand to the presidency.
>>Ex-French PM Raymond Barre dies <<
So how do you stop being French. Is there a vaccine or something? Or is like being ex-gay where you just stop acting French?
Perry Mason?
Oh, and on a more serious note. May God rest his soul and best wishes for his family.
I thought Raymond Barry used to play for the Baltimore Colts.
RIP.
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