The acclaimed series Parlement offers a humorous glimpse into the inner workings of the European Parliament, showcasing the complexities and absurdities that often go unnoticed by the public. Maxime Calligero, whose long experience in European institutions contributed to the co-writing of the show. Both a compelling narrative and an incisive memoir, it employs self-deprecating humor to explore the tensions and power struggles that shape the complex landscape of the European Union’s technocratic empire. The fourth and last season is now airing on the France Télévisions website.
Parlement fearlessly digs into the European Parliament’s intricate mix of political machinery. It explores the contradictions that define the European model. Unlike the polished image that these institutions usually project, the series reveals the hidden conflicts and comedic misunderstandings that arise from bureaucracy, cultural differences, and procedural complexities.
Retaining respect Calligero stresses that the aim of the show was to expose these subtleties without unfairly ridiculing American lifestyles. He does an excellent job of setting out his approach in a straightforward way. As in Parlement, we prefer comedy to satire; we love our characters too much. There’s hardly a character we don’t redeem by the end. This reflects a careful balance between humor and character development that allows viewers to connect with the series on a deeper level.
In this fictional narrative, Samy, portrayed by Xavier Lacaille, is a political aide. With dexterity, he grounds even the most ludicrous circumstances in sharp prose and audacious turns. So too does the premise of the show’s comedy, rooted in the complexity that blesses, but more often paralyzes, effective governance in the European Union. Calligero notes, “What is a weakness of the European Union—its complexity—becomes a strength, because complexity is always a good vehicle for comedy.”
While the series does not glorify or overtly criticize the European Union, it cleverly turns the hidden conflicts within its institutions into engaging fiction. Calligero further elaborates on this theme: “For a story to exist, there has to be conflict. Europe, for historical reasons, was built away from conflict. The European institutions were created to foster compromise.”
Parlement challenges the dull, solemn, and often quite uniform image of European institutions. It exposes the strange and puzzling disconnects that characterize the everyday lives of those who labor inside them. The series highlights less obvious but fascinating aspects of European politics. It illuminates how backroom deal-making and political maneuvering often lead to surprising and sometimes hilarious outcomes.
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