Some representatives of the popular extraction in the woods of senior executives

Published: 06/26/2022 – 17:47Changed: 06/26/2022 – 17:49

Cleaning ladies Rachel KK (LFI) and Lisette Pollet (RN), skilled worker Laurent Alexandre (LFI), delivery driver Joris Bowet (RN) or telephone consultant Andy Kerbrat (LFI) … many representatives, staff or workers, this week’s Palace Left and far right groups entered Bourbon.

Elected officers whose profile collides, these are socio-professional categories Very little representation in the National Assembly : Workers and workers make up 0.9% and 4.5% of the total population, as opposed to 12.1% and 16.1% of the French population, respectively. In Nupes, these categories represent 2% and 7% of elected representatives. At the National Rally, 7% and 11%.

According to SNbastien Michon, CNRS sociologist and sociologist for political workers, we see a clear difference with other political forces to be sought in the “different social position of the parties:” The majority of the president, the Republican Party and the Socialist Party generally come from the upper echelons of society, but the National Rally. And this is a little less for the representatives of La France Inquisite.

>> Read more: Diversity: “The Assembly is gradually approaching the France we meet on the street”

This difference in the socio-professional structure between the political groups in the National Assembly can be explained by the connections between the parties and their constituents. “Voters of RN and LFI are more popular or more anchored in the middle class. There is a logic in wanting his voters to field similar candidates,” the sociologist continues. “Thus, we see more economic elites on the presidential majority or the LR side, and more of the middle class in the LFI or RN.”

As we look more closely at the sociological distribution of the two parties, there is a difference between insurgents and far-right representatives. “The RN is very consistent with the profiles of the working class, the middle managers, the small business owners and the artisans and the middle class,” said Arnaud Benedetti, associate professor and principal at the Paris-Sorbonne. Political Criticism and Member of Parliament. “LFI also has these profiles – which are widely advertised in the media – but have more government employees in their ranks.”

“Politics has always been a matter for graduates”

The dropper’s arrival of the most popular profiles on the hemicycle is coupled with another socio – professional reality: the benches of the National Assembly are mainly filled by senior executives or representatives of more than one category. For this new assembly, more than 50% of the elected officials (316 out of 577) Business executives, public service executives, intellectual and artistic professionals, as well as business leaders with ten or more employees. For comparison, Senior managers represented 20% of the French population by 2020.

This social movement is not a new phenomenon, but one that has been going on for decades, according to Arnaud Benedetti: “Excessive representation of executives began in the 1970s and then strengthened in the 1980s. The sociology of middle and senior executives in the National Assembly, which is mostly in political groups.” This was also the case at the beginning of the previous legislature in 2017: Executives in the private sector were highly represented in the socio-professional sector.

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“Politics has always been a matter for graduates, so interest in the subject is high in the higher categories,” explains Sebastien Mitchen. “This is also seen in the parties: there are militant people in the parties as well as many from the upper social class.”

Different reasons may explain the lack of socio-professional diversity in politics. The selection of candidates made by various political parties before the election refers to a kind of “knowledge-how” that favors the upper social class. “Public speaking, for example, is very open to a certain number of professional categories: teachers, lawyers, journalists”, the sociologist notes.

Moderate social appearance can create a sense of “illegality” among the main stakeholders, leading to their involvement and obtaining mandate. “It simply came to our notice then Known sociologically“, Arnaud Benedetti recalls.” When people come from a popular social class, they feel less inclined to demand a certain number of responsibilities.

“Bring out issues that are considered side”

Although the event may seem small at Bourbon Palace, access to national representation from the ordinary social class (housekeeper, telephone consultant, skilled worker, delivery driver) can create new discussions and positions on the hemicycle.

“These new details of the delegates will lead to parliamentary debates and reveal issues that have hitherto been considered objective: lack of mechanisms, lack of regional planning or lack of services,” the political scientist noted. After the election of Rachel Cake and Lisette Bollet, The cleaning ladies explained especially to the Parisians Their hope is no longer “invisible”.

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The socio-professional diversity of MPs may, in the long run, be one of the keys to overcoming the current political representation crisis in France, according to Arnaud Benedetti: “In my image we must have a hemisphere. , It will be one of the ways to solve this crisis. “

But for this XVI^e In the legislature, the hemisphere is still far from the mark: popular sections (workers and employees), despite their representation in the structure of French society, are still marginalized among elected officials. Far from the First Assembly (1946-1951) They had 98 delegates out of 522, an unprecedented achievement to date.