Comparing Parliamentary Staff Models: Insights from the French National Assembly and the U.S. House of Representatives

This communication is submitted to Panel 4 of the call for papers and focuses on the entourages of elected officials (Members of Parliament and Members of Congress) in the French National Assembly and the U.S. House of Representatives. These institutions are often seen as archetypal models of parliamentary staffing: the U.S. Congress, characterized by politicized and resource-intensive support, contrasts sharply with France’s reliance on neutral, independent civil servants. Through an in-depth analysis of the characteristics, roles, and interactions of various staff categories—including personal, committee, research, and administrative staff—this study critically reexamines this dichotomy. It reveals significant overlaps in practices and dynamics, often masked by statutory distinctions between staff groups. The findings highlight that the tension between the politicization and technicization of political activities affects all staff members, irrespective of their institutional or professional status. Moreover, the structure of parliamentary entourages is not predetermined but shaped by the historical evolution and operational specificities of national political systems. The study also explores counterfactual historical scenarios, showing how these ideal-typical trajectories could have unfolded differently, thus emphasizing the contingent nature of their development. This communication is grounded in doctoral research that employs a comparative methodology, combining historical and ethnographic approaches. The analysis integrates archival research on key administrative reforms in both institutions with insights from semi-structured interviews conducted with current and former staff members of the U.S. Congress and the French National Assembly. By bridging these methods, the study offers a nuanced understanding of parliamentary staffing and its implications for broader political dynamics. Annis Ghemires, PhD Candidate in Political Science, Paris-Nanterre University.