Raymond Barre, Commissioner and Statesman
José M. de Areilza
August 31, 2007
The departure of Raymond Barre has made me wonder how much the European Commission has changed since this French economist served as Vicepresident of the College of Commissioners, from 1967 until 1973, where he pioneered the idea of economic and monetary union. Raymond Barre almost started his political career as a Commissioner. After his tenure in Brussels, he was councilor of the Bank of France, Minister of Commerce, Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, member of the National Assembly, presidential candidate in 1988 and Mayor of Lyon until 2001.
As the Commission has gained political power, the job of commissioner has been increasingly reserved to political heavy weights who have already been ministers back at their Member States. This is a natural development, as the Commission is and should be a political institution, but it can also affect negatively the independence of the institution in its day to day work. In any case, the Brussels post is much more often the last one in a political career and almost never is a first one, like the case of Raymond Barre. an independent spirit and a somewhat old fashioned politician who did not believe in pleasing the crowds.
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