Far Away, So Close: Parliament and Citizens in France
Résumé
The connection between Members of Parliament and citizens in France faces major cultural, institutional, and sociological challenges. Culturally, the legacy of both Rousseau’s theory of the general will and the Jacobins’ view on the unity of the nation’s territory and representative body show a consistent set of thoughts and claims emphasising the independence of the legislative branch from any other estate – including groups of citizens. MPs are called to present themselves as elected by the French nation, and not by voters of a given consti- tuency: they are not supposed to advocate for local interests or refer systemati- cally to their own constituency.