There's no cowhide in sight for MPs who have just returned to the Assemblée Nationale. At least not for the time being. In early July, a month after the surprise dissolution of the chamber that sent shockwaves through the country, the leather briefcase usually received by lawmakers was replaced – pending its imminent delivery – by a simple, unbleached cotton tote bag. Originally used by British mail carriers and newspaper sellers in the 19th century, the simple item can be endlessly customized and has become a favorite merch item for companies and institutions. On the arms of MPs, it is emblazoned with an Assemblée Nationale logo and the words "XVII Legislature." This choice was made not so much for deep-rooted environmental reasons but because the Assemblée's permanent services were faced with a very tight deadline in preparing for the MPs' reception. It was impossible to launch a public tender or to find a French company capable of delivering 577 leather cases on time.
While awaiting the name of this year's artisanal leatherworker, who is expected to fulfill this exceptional briefcase order in the next few weeks, it is still possible to purchase the Ateliers Fourès "business bag" that accompanied the national representation elected in 2022, for €315 (retail price). Still moved by the pride felt by her teams, Amandine Guy-Gras, head of the company based in the southern town of Graulhet, told us: "The Assemblée Nationale benefited from a lower price [not communicated] due to the quantity ordered." This summer, 158 MPs will set foot in the lower house for the first time – half as many as in 2022. As for the other 419, they will soon be carrying (at least) two briefcases. At a time when over-consumption is being denounced, this is cause for concern. Ségolène Amiot, an MP with the radical left La France Insoumise party re-elected in July, had herself inquired about repairing the clasp that had broken under the weight of the files carried.
When supplying the French Parliament, there's one golden rule: You can't advertise on this basis. There's an agreed discretion that explains why the identity of the tote bag supplier remains confidential. One thing is certain: The French flag on the bag's outer label bears witness to the Origine France Garantie ("French origin guaranteed") label. This is an essential criterion for the choice of supplier, according to the communications department of the Palais-Bourbon, the building housing the Assemblée Nationale. From the Paris region to the Rhône and Brittany, none of the promotional item retailers contacted appeared to have signed a contract with the Assemblée. At Paris-based L'Atelier du Tote Bag, they made no secret of their regret. "It's not us, but we would have liked to! Especially since we already worked with the Elysée [president's office] six months ago." Olivier Moha, head of OJM Diffusion, a wholesaler of corporate gifts based outside Paris, who claimed to have already worked for Parliament in the past, was definite: An order in 2024? No, he didn't know anything about that.
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