Is My Leader “Cool”? Differences in How Fans Perceive the Coolness of Female and Male Political Leaders
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This article examines how followers perceive the “coolness” of political leaders, focusing on dimensions such as appeal, style, and lifestyle, and exploring whether these perceptions differ according to leaders’ gender. Drawing on survey data collected in seven European countries in 2024, the study analyses attitudes toward the five most appreciated male and female political leaders. The findings show that male leaders are generally regarded as cooler and tend to inspire more consistent judgements, whereas opinions about female leaders are more differentiated. Overall, the results suggest that the personalisation and celebrification of politics operate within a gendered framework, shaped by persistent stereotypes as well as by a tendency towards the objectification of female political leaders.
Source: Aisberg (University of Bergamo)
Authors: Barbieri, Giovanni, Campus, Donatella
Institutions: University of Perugia, University of Bergamo
Language: English
Subfield: Gender Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Gender equality
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7168917235
FWCI:
Cites:
Cited by:
Related to: