---
title: "Global Leadership Project (v1)"
sdk: "datasets"
taskCategories:
  - "research"
tags:
  - "descriptive representation"
  - "political leadership"
  - "political science"
  - "social science"
  - "demographics"
license: "mit"
datasets:
  - "GlobalLeadershipProject_v1.csv"
---

[![GitHub Repo](https://img.shields.io/badge/GitHub-View%20Repo-black?style=flat-square&logo=github&logoColor=white)](https://github.com/cjerzak/DescriptiveRepresentationCalculator-software)

**A distilled dataset of more than 50,000 political elites coded on gender, ethnicity, language, religion, office type, and more.**  
The release accompanies the open‑access paper:

> John Gerring, Connor T. Jerzak & Erzen Öncel (2024).  
> “The Composition of Descriptive Representation.” *American Political Science Review* 118(2): 784‑801.  
> https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003055423000680

For more information, see [**GlobalLeadershipProject.net**](https://globalleadershipproject.net/).

## Dataset quick facts
| | |
|---|---|
| **Rows** | >50 000 leaders  |
| **Countries** | 156 |
| **Waves** | 2 (2010‑13, 2017‑19) |
| **Political bodies** | 1 552 (executive, cabinet, parliamentary party group, upper/lower chambers, supreme court) |
| **Identities coded** | Gender · Ethnicity · Language · Religion |
| **File size** | ~92.8 MB CSV |


## Files included
| File | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `GlobalLeadershipProject_v1.csv` | Tabular data (leaders × variables) |
| `LICENSE` | MIT |

## Reference

John Gerring, Connor T. Jerzak, Erzen Öncel. The Composition of Descriptive Representation. _American Political Science Review_, 118(2): 784-801, 2024.

```
@article{gerring2024composition,
  title={The Composition of Descriptive Representation},
  author={Gerring, John and Connor T. Jerzak and Erzen \"{O}ncel},
  journal={American Political Science Review},
  year={2024},
  volume={118},
  number={2},
  pages={784-801}
}
```

## Covariates covered 

|   #|Column Name                    | Description |
|---:|:------------------------------|-------------|
|   1|glp_country                    | Name of the country in the Global Leadership Project |
|   2|glp_country_nid                | Numerical ID for the country in GLP |
|   3|glp_person                     | Name of the person in GLP |
|   4|glp_person_nid                 | Numerical ID for the person in GLP |
|   5|person_ethnic                  | Person's ethnicity (most important cleavage, potentially defined by race, religion, language, etc.) |
|   6|person_ethnic_nid              | Numerical ID for person's ethnicity |
|   7|office1                        | Primary office held by the person |
|   8|office2                        | Secondary office held by the person |
|   9|office3                        | Tertiary office held by the person |
|  10|person_firstname               | Person's first name |
|  11|person_lastname                | Person's last name |
|  12|round1                         | Indicator for data from first wave (2010-13) |
|  13|round2                         | Indicator for data from second wave (2017-19) |
|  14|person_round                   | Data collection round associated with the person |
|  15|country                        | Country name |
|  16|country_id                     | Country identifier |
|  17|lexical_index                  | Lexical index of democracy |
|  18|pop_wdi_actual                 | Actual population from World Bank Development Indicators |
|  19|V_Dem_Country                  | Country name from V-Dem dataset |
|  20|country_text_id                | Textual identifier for country |
|  21|person_party_aff_power         | Person's party affiliation in power |
|  22|pol_party_nid                  | Numerical ID for political party |
|  23|pol_party                      | Political party name |
|  24|person_combethnicity           | Person's combined ethnicity |
|  25|person_combethnicity_no        | Numerical code for combined ethnicity |
|  26|person_ethnocultural_title     | Title of person's ethnocultural group |
|  27|person_ethnocultural_nid       | Numerical ID for ethnocultural group |
|  28|person_ethnic1_title           | Title of first ethnic group |
|  29|person_ethnic1_nid             | Numerical ID for first ethnic group |
|  30|person_combethnic_title        | Title of combined ethnic group |
|  31|person_house                   | Legislative house (e.g., upper or lower chamber) |
|  32|person_bday                    | Person's birthdate |
|  33|person_gender                  | Person's gender (coded as male or female) |
|  34|person_gender_no               | Numerical code for gender |
|  35|person_born_abroad             | Indicator if person was born abroad |
|  36|person_birthplace              | Person's birthplace |
|  37|person_birthcountry            | Person's birth country |
|  38|person_marital_stat            | Person's marital status |
|  39|person_numchild                | Number of children the person has |
|  40|person_occupation_all          | All occupations of the person |
|  41|person_occupation_1            | Primary occupation |
|  42|person_occupation_2            | Secondary occupation |
|  43|person_occupation_3            | Tertiary occupation |
|  44|person_family_clan_name        | Family or clan name |
|  45|person_family_clan_nam_rel     | Relation to family or clan name |
|  46|person_ethnocultural_crite     | Criteria for ethnocultural classification |
|  47|person_ethnocultural_crite_all | All ethnocultural criteria |
|  48|person_ethnocultural_crite_1   | First ethnocultural criterion |
|  49|person_ethnocultural_crite_2   | Second ethnocultural criterion |
|  50|person_ethnocultural_crite_3   | Third ethnocultural criterion |
|  51|person_ethnocultural_signf_nid | Numerical ID for ethnocultural significance |
|  52|prsn_ethncltral_signf_title    | Title for ethnocultural significance |
|  53|person_ethnocultural_rel       | Relation to ethnocultural group |
|  54|person_ethnocultural_rel_no    | Numerical code for ethnocultural relation |
|  55|prsn_ethncltralgp_living_style | Living style of ethnocultural group |
|  56|person_ethnocultural_source    | Source of ethnocultural information |
|  57|person_ethnocultural_all       | All ethnocultural groups |
|  58|person_ethnocultural_all_nid   | Numerical IDs for all ethnocultural groups |
|  59|person_ethnocultural_1_nid     | Numerical ID for first ethnocultural group |
|  60|person_ethnocultural_1_title   | Title for first ethnocultural group |
|  61|person_ethnocultural_2_nid     | Numerical ID for second ethnocultural group |
|  62|person_ethnocultural_2_title   | Title for second ethnocultural group |
|  63|person_ethnocultural_3_nid     | Numerical ID for third ethnocultural group |
|  64|person_ethnocultural_3_title   | Title for third ethnocultural group |
|  65|person_ethnic_criteria         | Criteria for ethnic classification |
|  66|person_ethnic_criteria_all     | All ethnic criteria |
|  67|person_ethnic_criteria_1       | First ethnic criterion |
|  68|person_ethnic_criteria_2       | Second ethnic criterion |
|  69|person_ethnic_criteria_3       | Third ethnic criterion |
|  70|person_ethnic_signf_nid        | Numerical ID for ethnic significance |
|  71|person_ethnic_signf_title      | Title for ethnic significance |
|  72|person_ethnic_rel              | Relation to ethnic group |
|  73|person_ethnic_rel_no           | Numerical code for ethnic relation |
|  74|person_ethnicgrp_ecorank       | Economic rank of ethnic group |
|  75|person_ethnicgrp_size          | Size of ethnic group |
|  76|person_ethnicgp_living_style   | Living style of ethnic group |
|  77|person_ethnicgrp_source        | Source of ethnic group information |
|  78|person_ethnicgrp_population    | Population of ethnic group |
|  79|person_ethnicgrp_defcriteria   | Definition criteria for ethnic group |
|  80|person_ethnic_all              | All ethnic groups |
|  81|person_ethnic_all_nid          | Numerical IDs for all ethnic groups |
|  82|person_ethnic_1_nid            | Numerical ID for first ethnic group |
|  83|person_ethnic_1_title          | Title for first ethnic group |
|  84|person_ethnic_2_nid            | Numerical ID for second ethnic group |
|  85|person_ethnic_2_title          | Title for second ethnic group |
|  86|person_ethnic_3_nid            | Numerical ID for third ethnic group |
|  87|person_ethnic_3_title          | Title for third ethnic group |
|  88|person_rel_family_nid          | Numerical ID for religious family (religion by birth) |
|  89|person_rel_family_title        | Title for religious family |
|  90|person_rel_family_rel          | Relation to religious family |
|  91|person_rel_family_rel_no       | Numerical code for religious family relation |
|  92|person_rel_current_nid         | Numerical ID for current religion |
|  93|person_rel_current_title       | Title for current religion |
|  94|person_rel_current_rel         | Relation to current religion |
|  95|person_rel_current_rel_no      | Numerical code for current religion relation |
|  96|person_lang_native_nid         | Numerical ID for native language (mother tongue) |
|  97|person_lang_native_title       | Title for native language |
|  98|person_lang_native_rel         | Relation to native language |
|  99|person_lang_native_rel_no      | Numerical code for native language relation |
| 100|person_lang_native_other       | Other native languages |
| 101|person_lang_spoken_nid         | Numerical ID for spoken language |
| 102|person_lang_spoken_title       | Title for spoken language |
| 103|person_lang_spoken_other       | Other spoken languages |
| 104|person_lang_english            | Proficiency in English |
| 105|person_lang_french             | Proficiency in French |
| 106|person_lang_arabic             | Proficiency in Arabic |
| 107|person_lang_spanish            | Proficiency in Spanish |
| 108|person_lang_chinese            | Proficiency in Chinese |
| 109|person_lang_german             | Proficiency in German |
| 110|person_lang_russian            | Proficiency in Russian |
| 111|person_lang_portuguese         | Proficiency in Portuguese |
| 112|person_lang_other              | Other languages |
| 113|person_lang_all                | All languages |
| 114|person_lang_all_count          | Count of all languages |
| 115|person_unv_name_all            | All university names attended |
| 116|person_unv_name_1              | First university name |
| 117|person_unv_name_2              | Second university name |
| 118|person_unv_name_3              | Third university name |
| 119|person_ug_major                | Undergraduate major |
| 120|person_ug_major_all            | All undergraduate majors |
| 121|person_ug_major_1              | First undergraduate major |
| 122|person_ug_major_1_no           | Numerical code for first undergraduate major |
| 123|person_ug_major_2              | Second undergraduate major |
| 124|person_ug_major_2_no           | Numerical code for second undergraduate major |
| 125|person_ug_major_3              | Third undergraduate major |
| 126|person_ug_major_3_no           | Numerical code for third undergraduate major |
| 127|person_education               | Education level |
| 128|person_education_no            | Numerical code for education level |
| 129|person_college_country         | Country where college was attended |
| 130|person_abroad                  | Indicator for studying abroad |
| 131|person_eduwest                 | Indicator for education in a Western country |
| 132|person_course_of_study         | Course of study |
| 133|person_combethnic_nid          | Numerical ID for combined ethnicity |
| 134|person_combethnic_all          | All combined ethnicities |
| 135|person_combethnic_all_nid      | Numerical IDs for all combined ethnicities |
| 136|person_combethnic_1_nid        | Numerical ID for first combined ethnicity |
| 137|person_combethnic_1_title      | Title for first combined ethnicity |
| 138|person_combethnic_2_nid        | Numerical ID for second combined ethnicity |
| 139|person_combethnic_2_title      | Title for second combined ethnicity |
| 140|person_combethnic_3_nid        | Numerical ID for third combined ethnicity |
| 141|person_combethnic_3_title      | Title for third combined ethnicity |
| 142|person_combethnicgrp_size      | Size of combined ethnic group |
| 143|person_combethnicgrp_ecorank   | Economic rank of combined ethnic group |
| 144|prsn_cmbthncgrp_livingstyle    | Living style of combined ethnic group |
| 145|person_combethnicgrp_source    | Source for combined ethnic group information |
| 146|prsn_cmbthncgrp_population     | Population of combined ethnic group |
| 147|prsn_cmbthncgrp_defcriteria    | Definition criteria for combined ethnic group |
| 148|person_party_aff_nonpartisan   | Indicator for nonpartisan party affiliation |
| 149|person_party_aff_position      | Position in party affiliation |
| 150|prsn_prty_aff_position_local   | Local position in party affiliation |
| 151|person_party_aff_coalition     | Coalition in party affiliation |
| 152|prsn_prty_aff_coalition_differ | Differences in coalition affiliation |
| 153|person_party_aff_longterm_aff  | Long-term party affiliation |
| 154|person_party_aff_pol_exp       | Political experience via party affiliation |
| 155|person_office_position_1       | Position in first office |
| 156|person_office_minposarea_1     | Ministerial position area for first office |
| 157|person_office_minposarea_lo_1  | Local ministerial position area for first office |
| 158|person_office_service_began_1  | Start date of service in first office |
| 159|prsn_office_srvc_bgn_cabi_1    | Cabinet service start for first office |
| 160|person_office_terms_1          | Number of terms in first office |
| 161|person_office_pm_participate_1 | Participation as prime minister in first office |
| 162|person_office_howmanydays_1    | Number of days served in first office |
| 163|prsn_office_hwmnydys_miss_1    | Missing days in first office |
| 164|prsn_office_cnsttncy_nid_1     | Numerical ID for constituency in first office |
| 165|prsn_office_cnsttncy_title_1   | Title for constituency in first office |
| 166|person_office_position_2       | Position in second office |
| 167|person_office_minposarea_2     | Ministerial position area for second office |
| 168|person_office_service_began_2  | Start date of service in second office |
| 169|prsn_office_srvc_bgn_cabi_2    | Cabinet service start for second office |
| 170|person_office_terms_2          | Number of terms in second office |
| 171|person_office_pm_participate_2 | Participation as prime minister in second office |
| 172|person_office_howmanydays_2    | Number of days served in second office |
| 173|prsn_office_hwmnydys_miss_2    | Missing days in second office |
| 174|prsn_office_cnsttncy_nid__2    | Numerical ID for constituency in second office |
| 175|prsn_office_cnsttncy_title_2   | Title for constituency in second office |
| 176|person_office_position_3       | Position in third office |
| 177|person_office_minposarea_3     | Ministerial position area for third office |
| 178|person_office_service_began_3  | Start date of service in third office |
| 179|prsn_office_srvc_bgn_cabi_3    | Cabinet service start for third office |
| 180|person_office_terms_3          | Number of terms in third office |
| 181|person_office_pm_participate_3 | Participation as prime minister in third office |
| 182|person_office_howmanydays_3    | Number of days served in third office |
| 183|prsn_office_hwmnydys_miss_3    | Missing days in third office |
| 184|prsn_office_cnsttncy_nid_3     | Numerical ID for constituency in third office |
| 185|prsn_office_cnsttncy_title_3   | Title for constituency in third office |
| 186|person_office_minposarea_4     | Ministerial position area for fourth office |
| 187|person_office_minposarea_5     | Ministerial position area for fifth office |
| 188|office_type_1                  | Type of first office |
| 189|office_type_2                  | Type of second office |
| 190|office_type_3                  | Type of third office