 He was elected deputy for Bouches-du-Rhône on 4 September 1881 on the Radical Republican platform, and was reelected on 18 October 1885, 22 September 1889 and 20 October 1893 on the same platform.Paul Peytral was Minister of Finance from April 3, 1888 to February 22, 1889 in the government of Charles Floquet.Charles François Laurent was named chief of staff to Peytral in 1888.