Paul Bérenger

Paul Raymond Bérenger (born 26 March 1945) is a Mauritian politician who served as the fourth prime minister of Mauritius from 2003 to 2005. Bérenger previously served as deputy prime minister three times: from 1995 to 1997, 2000 to 2003 and 2024 to 2026.

He has served as foreign minister and finance minister, twice, in the governments of Anerood Jugnauth and Navin Ramgoolam. Bérenger, a Catholic, is the only Christian and Franco-Mauritian who has served as Prime Minister of the country.

He has been Leader of the Opposition on several occasions – from 1983 to 1987, 1997 to 2000, 2005 to 2006 and 2007 to 2016, with brief hiatuses. Bérenger holds the longest-serving record in this constitutional position.

== Early life, education and family ==

Bérenger was born to Mauritian parents whose ancestors arrived in Mauritius from France in the 1700s. Geneviève Bérenger, his mother, was the daughter of Auguste Esnouf, an engineer and author who used pen name Savinien Mérédac to write novels and newspaper articles. He completed his secondary schooling at the Collège du Saint-Esprit in Quatre Bornes. He travelled to the UK to study Philosophy and French, attended the Sorbonne in Paris and graduated...