Generation Z and Political Leaders: The preferences of those who voted for the first time in 2019

The presidential elections reflect the electoral support provided to various political leaders. One driver for voting is the citizens’ preference for specific features that leaders possess. This article aims to investigate the features that first-time voters appreciate about a political leader. In doing so, it analyzes the preferences of those who voted for the first time in the 2019 presidential elections. These voters belong to the Generation Z and there is little information available about their political preferences. Our exploratory analysis uses individual level data from an original survey conducted between 25 November and 15 December 2019 on a nation-wide sample of 664 first-time voters who cast a vote. The results indicate a combination of preferences that is somewhat unexpected and forms an important basis for further research.