The Parapolitical Path to Parliament: Former Political Support Staff as Parliamentary Members

Anchrit Wille and Mark Bovens
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Anchrit Wille: Institute of Public Administration, Leiden University, The Netherlands
Mark Bovens: Utrecht School of Governance, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

Politics and Governance, 2026, vol. 14

Abstract: In Western parliamentary democracies, a growing number of MPs have worked as special advisers, political assistants, and parliamentary aides before their election as members of parliament. They have professional political expertise without being elected officials themselves. We call them parapoliticians, akin to paramedics or paralegals. This exploratory article describes this emerging pathway to the Dutch House of Representatives. The article operationalises the concept, provides theoretical and historical context, and offers insights into the prevalence of parapolitical backgrounds among members of the House of Representatives, and examines variations across political parties. In the 2021 House of Representatives, more than a quarter of MPs had previously worked as political support staff, and these MPs have prominent positions in the parliamentary factions.

Keywords: members of parliament; political careers; political capital; parties; political support staff (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cog:poango:v14:y:2026:a:10609

DOI: 10.17645/pag.10609

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