• While Renaud Muselier denounced a “dirty, scruffy left that cries everywhere”, Eric Ciotti followed suit by demanding “the obligation to wear a tie” within the Hemicycle.

  • For several years, the question of clothing has regularly caused a stir on the benches of the Assembly, from Cécile Duflot's floral dress to François Ruffin's football shirt, passing by Jean Lassalle's yellow vest.

  • Wearing a tie, religious symbols, brands or shoes… What is authorized in the Hemicycle?

    What is prohibited?

“I'm not here to exercise the dress police in the Assembly, I trust the parliamentarians.

Yaël Braun-Pivet no doubt hopes to have closed the debate on the wearing of a tie within the Hemicycle, which Eric Ciotti wants to make compulsory.

For the LR deputy, it is necessary to crack down with the “scruffy” left pointed out by Renaud Muselier, who comes in jeans or even, hold on tight, in a T-shirt.

But the President of the Assembly also recalled on France 2 that the regulations provide for “street attire”.

"We can't come dressed as we want," she says, because as an elected official "you must always imagine that the French must be proud of you".

So, what exactly does the National Assembly regulation say?

What can or cannot be worn?

20 Minutes

takes stock.

What is prohibited

In 2017, François Ruffin had already caused a stir by sitting on the podium wearing a football jersey, from an amateur club in his constituency, in the midst of a debate on transfer taxation.

He had then received a financial penalty for "provocation", since he had kept his jersey after a first warning about his "clothing extravagances".

But the controversy had had the merit of launching a project: since September 2018, article 9 of the general instruction of the Office clearly sets out what is prohibited.

“The wearing of any conspicuous religious sign, uniform, commercial logos or messages or slogans of a political nature is thus prohibited in particular”.

Ruffin's football shirt would therefore no longer pass, if only for the sponsor in its center.

Nor is a Catholic cross worn over a garment or yarmulke.

The notion of uniform can on the other hand be discussed: if those of policeman or firefighter are clearly identifiable, what about the

overalls

that the communist Patrice Carvalho wore, with tie, in 1997?

What is allowed

As Yaël Braun-Pivet indicated, the regulations provide that the deputies' outfit “must remain neutral and be similar to city attire”.

As it is difficult to make an exhaustive list of what is authorized, it is then necessary to defer to the definition of each one of a "business dress", and to admit that there are many clothes which are neither explicitly prohibited, or in the category of “business attire” as understood by the right-wing suit and tie enthusiast.

It is nevertheless admitted that dresses are authorized, despite the ribald comments that accompanied Cécile Duflot's floral dress in 2012. This same dress was worn by the ecologist Marie-Charlotte Garin on June 28, without constituting a misstep regulatory.

Similarly, the Tahitian outfit (flowered shirt, shorts, sandals) of Moetai Brotherson and Tematai Le Gayic was validated by the President of the Assembly, since it is "traditional clothes respectful of the institution and voters".

In addition, the position of the office has relaxed over the years on the wearing of suit jackets and ties, which can recently be removed at will.

A class question?

So there remains the question of the jeans-basket-sweater cocktail.

Very far from the prohibition criteria, it does not tick the box "dress for city" according to Eric Ciotti and Renaud Muselier.

But it is clear that the majority of French people opt for this set on a daily basis.

Over time, the costume has on the contrary become the prerogative of politicians, business leaders and a symbol of the financial world in particular.

To the point of becoming, for some, the affair of a social class, a uniform therefore… punishable?

They reproach us for coming to the Assembly simply dressed, but the real indecency is to show off in costumes that cost more than one minimum wage.



Out of respect for the people, I officially ask @YaelBRAUNPIVET to ban the wearing of these outfits at indecent prices.

pic.twitter.com/73KE41dtIH

— Louis Boyard (@LouisBoyard) July 22, 2022


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LFI MP Louis Boyard, reversing Eric Ciotti's argument, hopes to ban "costumes at exorbitant prices" within the Hemicycle.

A symbol of “sartorial arrogance”, the Hugo Boss or Armani jackets “reflect a deplorable image” of the Assembly according to him, in particular “in view of the explosion of poverty in our country”.

Economy

Heat wave: Goodbye suits, hello shorts… Can the office dress code become more flexible with heat waves?

Policy

National Assembly: Renaud Muselier attacks the "dirty and scruffy left", the Nupes counterattack

  • Yael Braun-Pivet

  • Eric Ciotti

  • National Assembly

  • La France Insoumise (LFI)