He held positions in various governments in France: Senator (1954–1961; 1974–1981), Minister of Agriculture (1961–1966), Parliamentarian (1967–1968), European Commissioner (1981–1985), Minister of New Caledonia (1985), President of the Arab World Institute (1988–1995). In 1992, with Bertrand Hervieu, he formed the "Groupe de Seillac" followed in 1995 by the "Groupe de Bruges", both being think tanks.