Parliament centered or constituency centered? The professionalization of the parliamentary mandate

Résumé :

The question of the professionalization of the parliamentary mandate has long been debated in the literature. Rather than offering a theoretical approach, this chapter puts into perspective the process of professionalization of French and German MPs. It deals with the indicators of this process: developments in remuneration and equipment of the mandate; educational and professional background; self-perception as a professional. Moreover, the way the MPs pursue their careers, work in their district and manage an important workload are documented and analyzed. Altogether these different aspects illustrate the process of professionalization at work among the members of the German Bundestag and the French Assemblée nationale. At the same time, despite this common trend, it is also possible to distinguish between two patterns of professionalization, the German one being “parliament centered” whereas the French one is “constituency centered”.