Controlling representation: Visions of the political system and institutional reforms in the gilets jaunes movement

The gilets jaunes movement is diverse and has been characterized by the importance of discourses and demands related to institutions and democracy. Using in situ questionnaires and in-depth interviews, this article deals with the visions of the political system and the institutional reforms advocated by the gilets jaunes. We show that despite the existence of very harsh criticisms of political organizations and elected representatives, and despite the feeling that they live in a nondemocratic system, the gilets jaunes do not demand the abolition of political representation, but rather its reconstruction around three principles: the control of representatives, attentiveness, and geographical and statutory proximity of elected representatives.