Political characters: ‘A dark personality has become an electoral asset’

Leaders showing signs of narcissism or ruthlessness are backed by voters with more extreme views, a study involving the University of Lausanne finds. In recent years, the rise of political characters like US President Donald Trump or Argentina’s chainsaw-wielding Javier Milei has left many scrambling to understand the role of personality and image in world affairs. In the case of Trump – who has said “I run the country and the world” – is he driven by pure ego? Is he operating according to a strategic “madman theory”? And as democracies – not just in the US – become more polarised, the question is how much leaders can play into societal divisions more largely. Online echo chambers and one-sided media play a role in driving groups apart; economic problems can also create animosity. But how much are individual politicians – and their personalities – responsible for turning people against each other? ‘In-house effect’ A study by researchers in Switzerland and the Netherlands finds a ...