In France, despite a tradition which challenges these objectives, constituency work and constituency representation are considered by MPs as a complete part of their work (Costa and Kerrouche 2007). Hence, a large part of French MPs spends time for constituency work and declares to represent the interests of their constituency at the national level. The question we raise in our paper, however, is not what MPs do in constituency but why?
In this paper, we will consider constituency work and constituency representation as strategies to achieve political goals, to obtain political benefits. According to Strøm (1997, 2012), we argue that MPs are goal-seeking and adapt their behaviors to fit their goal preferences. Strøm (1997) notes four goals which are directly linked to the three forms of political ambition of Schlesinger (1991): reselection, reelection, party office and legislative office. These goals will serve as starting point because the specific French institutional framework demands some adaptations. In addition, MPs have to act with scare resources like time, media exposure or human resources.
Using qualitative interviews with French MPs, we will propose a new approach of the local dimension of MPs’ behavior, linking it with political ambition. Because they are goal-seekers, we argue that MPs spend time in or for constituency in order to achieve their goals, to satisfy their ambition. In a first time, we will identify the political ambition, goals in presence among French MPs and, in a second time, we will investigate their impact on MPs constituency work and constituency representation.
