Representation style and digital communication: the case of the online presence of French MPs elected in 2017

The two chambers of the French parliament are known to be among the weakest in Europe since the Constitution of the Fifth Republic restricts their role. This weakness is an incentive for MPs to go local and adopt the constituency representation model. However, the magnitude of parliamentary renewal (416 newly elected members) following the 2017 elections combined with the entry into force of the law of 14 February 2014 prohibiting the combination of a deputy's mandate with a local executive function disrupt, at least circumstancially, the rules of the game. Have these changes contributed (or not) to transform the style of representation of current deputies, especially online? In this article, we identify two opposing styles of representation used online by the deputies elected in 2017: the constituency model and the trustee model (coupled with the representation of self-model). These results are discussed according to the French context.