Raymond Barre, who served as prime minister of France under President Valery Giscard d'Estaing for five years, died Saturday in Paris at the venerable age of 83.

The prominent politician and economist occupied the premier’s seat between 1976 and 1981, along with other key positions like European Commission vice-president and mayor of Lyon from 1995 to 2001.

Numerous politicians headed by President Nicolas Sarkozy praised Barre for his commitment while serving the national interests and his role in the political life of France.

Raymond Barre was born on April 12, 1924 in Saint-Denis, the administrative capital of the French island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean.

The former prime minister Jacques Chirac appointed Barre as trade minister in 1976, known being his skills and background as and economist. Several months later, president Giscard d'Estaing named him as prime minister and minister of economy and finance after Chirac left his office.

Barre was introduced as “the best economist in France” by the president. Despite that support, Barre was heavily criticized by unions for his strict policy to cut inflation and public spending, along with introducing a series of reforms in the industrial sector.

He became very unpopular among French and after Francois Mitterrand’s victory in the 1981 elections, Barre stepped down and returned to his office at the university in Paris (Sorbonne). Seven years later he participated at the presidential election as a candidate for the Union for French Democracy (UDF), but came third after Mitterrand and Chirac.

Barre held his seat in the parliament until 2002, when he retired from politics. He died at the Val de Grace military hospital in Paris where he was transferred from a medical facility in Monaco in April.