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The prosopographical study of French executive entourages between 1974 and 2012 allows us to measure the effect of political liberalism on the state’s elites. The study compares the presidency of Sarkozy to that of his predecessors. Firstly, it shows that the political liberalism of Sarkozy’s presidency has not ended the monopoly presence of senior civil services or major administrative corps in the entourage of senior civil servants. Renewal does not, therefore, concern institutions. In contrast, the profiles of senior civil servants who reach the highest echelons of the state have changed dramatically, especially when compared to those in office during Valéry Giscard d’Estaing’s presidency. Members of these entourages are now far more likely to have come through the private company route than through ministerial cabinets and are much more involved in political activities. The study also demonstrates that a dissociation and hierarchy effect has occurred between the various entourages.