The Personality Divide Between Citizens and Politicians: The Case of the Four Largest Spanish Parties.

This article examines the personality similarities and differences between Spanish citizens and their elected Members of Parliament (MPs) across party allegiances and ideologies, using representative surveys of both groups. The study finds that Spanish politicians form a more homogeneous group in terms of personality traits than citizens, characterized by higher sociability and imagination and lower laziness and artistic tendencies, suggesting the existence of a distinctive "politician's personality." While ideological and partisan alignment somewhat reduces personality differences, these factors explain less variation among politicians than among citizens, with some newer parties (Ciudadanos and Podemos) showing greater internal personality homogeneity and congruence with their supporters. The findings highlight that personality traits such as sociability and conscientiousness significantly distinguish politicians from citizens, potentially reflecting both self-selection and adaptation to political roles within Spain's proportional representation system.