85

What occupational and political careers lead to ministerial offices? The paper gives empirical evidence to this question using individual data on the careers of cabinet members who joined the government between May 2012 and August 2014. These longitudinal data help to describe several aspects of these careers. They help to shed light on the contexts and moments of political professionalization, the transitions between administrative and governmental occupations and the importance of previous positions as a political collaborator. The paper also studies discrepancies between cabinet members’ generations and how this dimension is linked to different career paths and positions within the government.