What dress code for MPs? In the midst of debates on purchasing power, the question was invited to the National Assembly, Thursday July 21 and Friday July 22, after the president of the South region, Renaud Muselier, attacked the holding “sloppy” of some elected leftists. In its wake, right-wing politicians have called for tougher National Assembly rules. A left-wing elected official tried to dress up his opponents for the summer by asking for the ban on outfits “at indecent prices”. We tell you in five acts this controversy rich in sleeve effects.
Act 1: Muselier criticizes “the scruffy left”
Former LR executive, now support for Emmanuel, Renaud Muselier criticized, Thursday, on BFM TVleft “sloppy, dirty, screaming, screaming everywhere” in the National Assembly. The president of the Paca region mentioned “a behavior problem” of the elected officials of the Nupes. “You represent the Republic in the French Parliament, (…) you have a charge, you are not in a playground”he added.
Renaud Muselier denounces a “behavioral problem” at LFI, with a left “scruffy, dirty and screaming everywhere” pic.twitter.com/XUP6GWcaTM
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) July 21, 2022
Act 2: Nupes denounces “class contempt”
“Class contempt seeps into the temple of the Republic”reacted on Thursday, the “rebellious” deputy Antoine Léaument, denouncing the “unworthy remarks” by Renaud Muselier. “How you can wear a tie and make unworthy and disrespectful remarks”abounded his colleague Alma Dufour.
“We were elected to represent the people and defend their interests. Not to buy costumes at 3000 euros.”
Alma Dufour, LFI deputy for Seine-Maritimeon Twitter
The First Secretary of the PS, Olivier Faure, also deplored “this contempt” and “this condescension”. “We weren’t dirty when we called to block the far right by getting a vote for Mr. Muselier”added the deputy Génération.s Benjamin Lucas, on Europe 1.
Act 3: Ciotti calls for the compulsory tie
Thursday afternoon, LR deputy Eric Ciotti supported Renaud Muselier. In a letter addressed to the President of the Assemblythe elected representative of the Alpes-Maritimes asked “the obligation to wear a tie for men” in the hemicycle. According to him, “an increasing number of deputies, in particular from LFI” let go of “a form of laxity in dress and behavior”.
“This question is far from trivial”, believes Eric Ciotti. He sees in wearing a suit and tie a “mark of respect due to our institutions and to our compatriots” and a way “to visually unify the national representation” to focus on substantive discussions. To date, he recalls, the rules of the Assembly provide that the dress of the deputies must “resemble a city outfit”.
Act 4: the RN denounces the “beach” outfits of elected Nupes
“Wearing a tie does not seem absurd to me”, reacted on Friday on franceinfo, the spokesperson for the RN group in the National Assembly, Laure Lavalette, about Eric Ciotti’s proposal. According to her, the deputies of the left coalition “come there as they could go to the beach”, in violation of “the spirit of the institution”.
“We are in a beautiful institution, we are in magnificent premises. As we are not far left, as we are not Islamo-leftists, we respect the institution”added the elected Var, former spokesperson for the presidential campaign of Marine Le Pen.
Act 5: an elected “rebellious” wants to ban overpriced costumes
Pastiche of the letter sent by Eric Ciotti to the presidency of the Bourbon palace, the LFI deputy of Val-de-Marne Louis Boyard asked, on Friday, “a ban on costumes at indecent prices”. According to the 21-year-old elected official, “an increasing number of deputies, in particular at LREM, LR and RN” let go of “a form of sartorial and behavioral arrogance”.
“This question is far from trivial”, continues Louis Boyard. He sees in wearing suits “at exorbitant prices” a “indecent luxury in view of the explosion of poverty in our country”. “This of course contributes to increasing the feeling in the population of parliamentarians far from the reality of daily life for the French”adds the elected “rebellious”.