In the National Assembly, the use of a jacket becomes mandatory for men

How can you dress at the Palais Bourbon? Meeting this Wednesday morning, the office of the National Assembly agreed to make some clarifications to the current dress code.

It was indicated that the clothing of the deputies must be in accordance with the solemnity of the places. More precisely, it must remain adequate, not relaxed or careless. In other words: shorts and Bermuda shorts are not allowed. For men, the jacket becomes mandatory, while the tie is simply recommended.

The issue of the dress code for parliamentarians has recently created quite a stir. Last July, Eric Ciotti, deputy Les Républicains (LR) of the Alpes-Maritimes, asked to return to wearing the tie in the regulations of the National Assembly in a letter addressed to its president Yaël Braun-Pivet.

“Far from being a trivial question”

The elected southerner had then indicated a “slack in clothing” since the beginning of the new legislature. For his part, Renaud Muselier, president of the South-Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region, had criticized a “dirty” and “careless” left.

The rebel deputy of Val-de-Marne Louis Boyard had responded to Eric Ciotti, also asking for a modification of the regulation. But this time to ban “costumes at indecent prices.” Proof that the issue is political. Louis Boyard thus evoked a “far from trivial question”.

“Using costumes at exorbitant prices (…) testifies to an indecent luxury in the face of the explosion of poverty in our country,” he had lashed out.

“Incredible sense of priorities”

Meanwhile, the LFI deputies had arrived at the Palais Bourbon wearing ties. A way to denounce “machismo” and “class contempt” that would induce the necessary use of this accessory. Which is also not mandatory since 2017. Before that date, a bailiff could prevent access to the session to the deputies in the absence of a tie.

The change of rules arouses in any case astonishment in the field of Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

“It’s okay to treat the National Assembly like a doormat every 49.3. It’s not okay not to wear a jacket in the hemicycle,” lamented parliamentarian Danièle Obono on her Twitter account.

“Incredible sense of priorities. Fortunately, we do not have 10 million poor people in our country,” the rebel deputy Damien Maudet judged in an ironic tone in the social network.