Life Changes

Abstract

Abstract This chapter follows the novices that took office in 2017 as they settle into their new functions. How did they adapt? What did their new routine look like? And, beyond that, what did this sudden immersion of a hundred individuals without prior socialization tell us about the norms of contemporary politics? A close-up analysis of their first year in office discloses three salient features that are constitutive of contemporary political life: its erratic rhythm, made of long and intense work time but also of waiting; the everyday publicity that becoming a politician imposes on its actors; and the violence of interactions within politics.