Léon Jean Jacques Baréty (18 October 1883 – 10 February 1971) was a French politician who was briefly Minister of Industry and Commerce in 1940.

Léon Baréty received his secondary education in the lycée of Nice, then obtained a diploma in Finance from the Ecole des sciences politiques, followed by a doctorate in Law from the Faculty of Paris.

[4] Baréty felt that different forms of rule should be used for different cultural groups, and should be compatible with the local beliefs, laws and customs.

On the other hand, education might "create rebels, discontented, déclassé natives ... plant seeds of rancor in the people who prepare to revolt.

On 10 July 1940, he voted in favour of granting the cabinet presided by Marchal Philippe Pétain authority to draw up a new constitution, thereby effectively ending the French Third Republic and establishing Vichy France.

"[9] Due to his vote on 10 July 1940 Baréty was rendered ineligible for public office after the Liberation of France.

He asked for a jury of honor to reverse this ruling, saying, "You have to remember the situation of France in late June 1940, the complete disarray of the population, the exodus of millions of inhabitants, a completely disorganized army whose leaders themselves asked them to lay down their arms.

[8] In 1960 he was president of the Paris-based International Bureau of Exhibitions (BIE), which decided which city would hold the World Fair each year.