Chambermaid, delivery driver… Will the atypical deputies stir up the Assembly?

They are the new faces of the Palais-Bourbon that attract the most attention. Several deputies from civil society elected on Sunday evening have the particularity of having a fairly new professional career compared to their predecessors. Among them Rachel Kéké, chambermaid, invested by Nupes, who won the 7th constituency of Val-de-Marne. But also the RN Katiana Levavasseur, maintenance agent, who won the 2nd district of Eure. Or the apple producer Eric Martineau, elected under the Ensemble-MoDem label in the 3rd district of Sarthe. Or even Jorys Bovet, delivery driver, elected RN of the 2nd district of Allier.

The list of these new atypical elected officials is long, as noted by Christelle Craplet, BVA Opinion client manager: “In 2017, several walking deputies from civil society were elected. But in 2022, the professional profiles seem even more varied, no doubt due to the candidates invested in Nupes”. It is clear that the professional categories represented in the Assembly have evolved in recent years: “Before 2017, we sent to the Hemicycle civil servants, senior executives from the private sector, the liberal professions. In 2017, we saw the arrival of middle managers and SME bosses, who had not come out of the big schools. And this year, we are seeing the emergence of deputies from the working classes, employees, craftsmen…”, observes Luc Rouban, research director at the CNRS and researcher at Cevipof (Sciences Po). Another notable point this year: the deputies with the unusual course are no longer the result of a political group, since each of them claims several.

The faces of a democratic renewal?

At a time when disinterest and distrust of the political world are widespread, the entry into the Palais-Bourbon of these new kind of deputies brings a form of hope: “Many citizens reproach elected officials to be disconnected from society. The fact of having deputies whose original profession is clearly identified can contribute to a form of reconnection. They can bring a different way of expressing themselves in the Hemicycle and point to examples of situations experienced on a daily basis by their constituents”, believes Christelle Craplet. Rachel Kéké also promised on Sunday to shake up the old institution: “The National Assembly will tremble! “, she said on Twitter.

Luc Rouban also describes the promises of openness made by these parliamentarians: “They will bring freshness to the speeches and embody a form of renewal. Some can also be more attentive to the voters in their constituency, and thus demonstrate greater proximity to the field”. But will they help citizens change their outlook on political action? Christelle Craplet in doubt: “It will not be a sufficient lever. The effects of the policies carried out should be really perceptible in the daily life of the French”. Luc Rouban is on the same line: “The French have a consumerist attitude towards political action. They want immediate results. And it is less the socio-professional profile of their MP that counts than what they perceive of the political weight of their parliamentary group. »

“MPs who have no experience are often supervised by those who have”

Moreover, the task ahead of them may not be easy. Because those who have no political experience will have a lot to learn: “You have to understand the codes of the Assembly, the articulation between the objectives of a constituency and those of national politics”, explains Christelle Craplet. “They must adapt to the procedures, acquire the culture of a deputy, learn to work in committee and to negotiate in the corridors”, adds Luc Rouban.

And despite their personal investment, some risk being relegated to the background. “We saw it with the promotion of 2017. MPs who have no experience are often supervised by those who have. And the former quickly understand that they are not there to represent their own ideas, but those of a group. This can lead to a form of disillusionment,” emphasizes Luc Rouban. “For the new walking faces of 2017, it was difficult to exist. They have often been seen as powerhouses. They have been criticized for playing the role of recording chamber for government decisions,” adds Christelle Craplet.

Many of the rookies of 2017 did not re-enlist

The work of these new elected representatives will be all the more difficult since the government does not have an absolute majority and since it will face two poles of opposition: “Given the unprecedented configuration of the Palais-Bourbon, the profile MPs and their personalities will be much less taken into account than the logic of parliamentary groups and the system of political alliances in order to find compromises”, believes Christelle Craplet.

Will they manage to find their place or will they become disillusioned? Difficult to predict, even if the example of their elders is instructive. Many 2017 rookie MKs didn’t run again in 2022. Either because they didn’t receive the party nomination or because they didn’t feel like exposing themselves to retribution again popular, as Christelle Craplet points out: “Politics has become very violent. Several deputies have seen their offices vandalized”. Especially since many did not really want to make a political career. “The mission of deputy does not leave much time for private life. And this experience at the Palais-Bourbon is a plus on the CV which opens many other doors”, emphasizes Luc Rouban.