Is there politics without professional politicians?

The article examines aspects of the political and social profile of elected members of the Hellenic Parliament across four electoral contests: 1996, 2004, 2012, and 2015. It records characteristics such as gender, age, frequency of election, and profession to identify possible changes over these years.

The research question being investigated is whether, and to what extent, the drastic shift in the electoral landscape that occurred during the dual elections of 2012 and was consolidated in the January 2015 elections was reflected in the socio-political profile of Parliament members.

The available data indicate a shift: regarding professional characteristics, there is a gradual entry of new professions and the decline of some older ones. However, clear signs of a cohesive class of professional politicians, as defined in the literature, are not yet visible.

Additionally, analyses of age distribution and, especially, previous parliamentary experience suggest a coexistence of the "old" and the "new." This was particularly evident in the 2012 Parliament, which had an exceptionally high renewal rate but also a political personnel that demonstrated resilience.