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9

The Evolution of French Political

Communication: Reaching the Limits

of Professionalisation?

Philippe J. Maarek

Today, professionalisation of French political communication seems like a fait accompli.
Whether during electoral campaigns or while carrying out day-to-day government or
local government public relations, modern French political communication seems to be
as sophisticated as it is in most democratic countries. All the main French politicians are
now expected to possess a high degree of awareness and mastery of political
communication skills, and even the Mayor of the smallest French town has now The Evolution of French Political Communication: Reaching the Limits of Professionalisation?
changed its logo, hired a Public Relations Officer and is keen on publishing a monthly
or quarterly magazine.

Roughly thirty years ago the average citizen first took notice of this phenomenon when
Valery Giscard d’Estaing, a rather bourgeois liberal politician, successfully ran the 1974
presidential race by posing with his two daughters on his campaign posters, and by
playing the ever-so traditional accordion in front of the television cameras. Just seven
years later no French citizen could ignore the fact that political communication advisor
Jacques Séguéla had conceived a winning slogan ‘La force tranquille’ (the quiet
strength), which ignited François Mitterrand’s 1981 presidential winning streak and had
been plastered on most of the huge double advertising billboards placed all along
French roads and highways.

We will establish here that the presence on the front page of professionalised political
communication did not happen in a day; it has subtly and thoroughly penetrated the 145