Machiavellianism (psychology)

# Machiavellianism (psychology)

## Abstract

In the field of personality psychology, Machiavellianism (sometimes abbreviated as MACH) is the name of a personality trait construct characterized by interpersonal manipulation, indifference to morality, lack of empathy, and a calculated focus on self-interest. Psychologists Richard Christie and Florence L. Geis named the construct after Niccolò Machiavelli, as they used truncated and edited statements similar to his writing style to study variations in human behaviors. Their Mach IV test, a 20-question, Likert-scale personality survey, became the standard self-assessment tool and scale of the Machiavellianism construct. Those who score high on the scale (High Machs) are more likely to have a high level of manipulativeness, deceitfulness and a cynical, unemotional temperament. Though the construct is named "Machiavellianism", it does not refer to the eponymous political doctrine.

It is one of the dark triad traits, along with the subclinical versions of narcissism and psychopathy.

## Origin of the construct

### Adapting Machiavelli for psychometric use

In 1955, psychologist Richard Christie set out to study the thought processes and actions of those who manipulated others, such as political ideologues and religious extremists. He found that there was much literature on those who followed organizations and movements, but very little on those who led them. As Christie was developing a psychometric model for interpersonal manipulation, he was reminded of his encounter with Machiavelli's writings as an undergraduate, and wanted to use them in his research. In the 1960s, Christie and his colleagues would then develop a test using a selection of statements, including truncated and edited sentences that were similar to certain phrases found in Machiavelli's works such as The Prince and The Discourses on Livy as test items, naming the construct "Machiavellianism" after him. They wanted to assess whether or not those who were in agreement with the statements would behave differently than others who disagreed, specifically in regards to manipulative actions. Christie and his research partner Florence L. Geis published their results in their book, titled " Studies in Machiavellianism ", in 1970.

Christie made light of the difficulty in adapting Machiavelli's writings into a non political test, joking that his advice was "better suited for Renaissance princes" than for college undergraduates. Christie used more colloquial, everyday wording when creating the scale items, as most taking the test would have difficulties understanding the questions in their original prose. Thus Christie used test items that were "theoretically congruent with" or loosely based on Machiavelli's tone, instead of literal, direct statements from his works.

### On the name of the scale

While the construct is named "Machiavellianism", it does not refer to the political theory espoused in Machiavelli's books. Because the two concepts share the same name, they can be confused for one another, even though his political ideas are not relevant to psychology. Out of all 20 items on the MACH IV, only one item (Item 20) has a more direct relation with Machiavelli's writings, yet it is also removed from its original political context. In fact, some questions on the MACH-IV are not from Machiavelli at all. For example, two of them reference P.T. Barnum (born 1810) and voluntary euthanasia, both of which are unrelated to Machiavelli's ideas. The MACH-IV (and other Machiavellianism tests) also feature questions partially based on statements by other thinkers such as Chinese political authors, not just Machiavelli. In light of this, scholars often claim that the scale has no relation to Machiavelli outside of bearing his name. Researchers have commented that despite the name, the personality construct has nothing to do with Machiavelli's politics. Christie himself makes clear that he used sentences inspired by Machiavelli's works only as a sort of litmus test to study deceptive and manipulative behavior, and that his concern was not with Machiavelli's historical or political influence, stating specifically that:

Historians disagree as to whether Machiavelli was a cynic who wrote political satire, a patriot, or the first modern political scientist. The present concern is not with Machiavelli as an historic figure, but as the source of ideas about those who manipulate others.

Researcher and Psychology Today author Dale Hartley made this point more clear in his book, Machiavellians: Gulling The Rubes:

When psychologists refer to the terms, Machiavellian or Machiavellianism, they do not mean Machiavelli's political advice. They refer instead to the underlying personality traits of cynicism, duplicity and scheming by which master manipulators conceive and execute their agendas.

Christie stated that he chose the name "Machiavellianism" out of convienence seeing as other names such as "M scale" (M for manipulation) and "Ma scale" (which was used by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory for hypomania) were taken.He also wanted to name the scale the "manipulator" or "operator" scale, but these terms had issues regarding behavioral validity. He also admits that by using the name "Machiavellianism", the scale would "create problems of public misunderstanding" due to the existing political meaning of the term. In a later essay, Christie even states that some have viewed the name problematic and that "the use of the word Machiavellianism to describe the content of the scales has been questioned". Indeed, recent scholars have stated that the majority of items on the scale were wrongly attributed to Machiavelli.

### Mach IV

Christie and Geis's Mach IV test, a 20-question, Likert-scale personality survey, became the standard self-report tool to measure one's level of Machiavellianism. Those who score highly on the scale are classified as high Machs, while those who score low are classified as low Machs. Using their scale, Christie and Geis conducted multiple experimental tests that showed that the interpersonal strategies and behavior of "high Machs" and "low Machs" differ. People scoring high on the scale tend to endorse manipulative statements, and behave accordingly, contrary to those who score lowly. People scoring high on the scale tend to endorse statements such as, "Never tell anyone the real reason you did something unless it is useful to do so," (No. 1) but not ones like, "Most people are basically good and kind" (No. 4), "There is no excuse for lying to someone else" (No. 7) or "Most people who get ahead in the world lead clean, moral lives" (No. 11) Their basic results have been widely replicated. Measured on the Mach IV scale, males score, on average, slightly higher on Machiavellianism than females.

The Mach IV test influenced the creation of an assessment called the Dirty Dozen, which contains 12 items, and the Short Dark Triad, composed of 27 items.

High vs Low Machiavellianism

Like all personality traits, Machiavellianism is a characteristic that exists on a spectrum or continuum. Christie and others noted that High Machs were more likely to cheat in experimental games, manipulate others around them, and were generally detached in their interactions. This was opposed to the behavior of Low Machs, who found such behaviors immoral, and refrained from them.

The higher a person is on the Machiavellianism scale, the more likely they are to deceive and exploit at the expense of someone else, engage in unprincipled behavior, and have a lack of empathetic feelings.

## Core features

In developing the construct studying manipulators, Christie theorized that they would possess the following characteristics:

1. A relative lack of affect in interpersonal relationships: Manipulators do not empathize with their victims. The more empathy one has, Christie says, the less likely one will manipulate a person to do their bidding.

2. A lack of concern for conventional morality: Christie asserts that the manipulator is not concerned with the morality of behaviors such as lying and cheating.

3. A lack of gross psychopathology: Christie states that manipulators usually have an instrumentalist view of the world, which shows a lack of psychosis or other mental impairments.

4. Low ideological commitment: Manipulators prefer to focus on getting things done pragmatically rather than focus on ideological allegiances. Christie states that while manipulators are to be found in organizations of differing ideals, they are more likely to be interested in tactics that achieve individual ends than inflexible idealistic ones.

### Five-Factor Model

Under the recently devised Five-Factor Model of Machiavellianism, three characteristics underlie the construct:

- Antagonism: manipulativeness, cynicism, selfishness, callousness, and arrogance.

- Planfulness: deliberation and orderliness.

- Agency: achievement-striving, assertiveness, self-confidence, emotional invulnerability, activity and competence.

## Causes

### Genetic and environmental

Several behavioral genetics studies on the dark triad have shown that Machiavellianism has both significantly genetic and environmental influences. Researchers have noted that while Machiavellianism is heritable to a substantial degree, it can also be influenced by the shared-environment (i.e. sibling groups) slightly more than narcissism and psychopathy. Other traits associated with machiavellianism are influenced by genetics as well, as one study notes that "The co-occurrence of alexithymia and Machiavellianism was most heavily influenced by genetic factors, and to a lesser but significant extent by non-shared environmental factors." Machiavellianism is also heavily correlated with primary psychopathy which is itself strongly heritable. A study on the "core" of dark triad traits also emphasized that the residual traits of Machiavellianism had "significant genetic components". One particular study found a gene responsible for dopamine reception was positively associated with individuals who scored high on the MACH IV, but it is unclear what specific mechanisms cause this effect. A study noted that the emotionality of Machiavellianism may also be genetically determined, with the authors stating that "it can be expected that in the case of Machiavellianism, the genetic influence may manifest itself by affecting the emotional sphere. That affective insensitivity – as McIlwain (2003) designates it--makes Machiavellians similar to psychopaths. In the study by Vernon et al (2008), genetic factors for Machiavellianism and psychopathy were correlated, which suggests that the variability of both qualities is greatly affected by the same genes. The genetically determined “cool syndrome” makes it easier for the child to use effective manipulation, leading to the development of a permanent behaviour strategy, at the same time protecting the child from internal punishments such as shame or guilt."

Studies have found a link between Machiavellianism and a blunted cortisol awaking response (CAR). A person's cortisol awaking response has been associated with a lack of affective empathy, and is highly heritable.

Environmental causes

The environmental causes (such as shared, and non-shared environment) that contribute to the development of machiavellianism were childhood maltreatment and neglect, social reinforcement of manipulative behaviors from an early age, and poor family functioning. One study even stated that "the etiology of Machiavellianism, similarly to the development of a dismissing-avoidant pattern, partly originates from childhood experiences obtained in relationships with unexpressive, less understanding, highly punitive or restrictive caregivers". In many studies, Machiavellianism has been heavily correlated with negative home atmospheres, loneliness, and adverse parental experiences. One study noted that punishment specifically led to the "emergence of deceitful and exploitative interpersonal tactics." The authors of the study concluded that these results "might give further support for the idea that Machiavellian personality traits are possible strategic responses to childhood adversities". Another study found the traits of Machiavellianism to be a response to early maladaptive schemas (EMS), essentially coping mechanisms for emotional deprivation, mistrust, abuse, and caregiver rejection. Irregular parent care, such as a mother being neglectful and a father being overprotective, has also been correlated with Machiavellianism. The hereditary influence on Machiavellianism may make it challenging to disentangle the genetic underpinnings from the effects of parental upbringing and environmental factors.

In general, Jones (2020) asserts that "there may be a myriad of reasons, including some environmental reasons, as to why someone would become cynical, habitually ignore morality, or use manipulative persuasion. There may be others who are born cynical, manipulative, and amoral. Thus, there may be differences in etiology that lead to differences in how fixed the trait is, and how it is expressed".

### Machiavellianism in children

Ever since the creation of the construct in the 1960s, there has been extensive research on Machiavellianism in young children and adolescents, via a measure dubbed the "Kiddie Mach" test. The first study was done in 1966 as a part of Dorothea Braginsky's doctoral dissertation, with the subjects being as young as 10 years old. Studies have shown that traits of Machiavellianism and other dark triad traits were already present in preschool children, and more pronounced in adolescents aged 11–17. There have been studies to measure Machiavellianism in 6 year olds using adult informants to analyze the child's behavior. Deceptive behaviors by children even as young as 3 were also investigated heavily. Peer reports suggest that children higher in Machiavellianism exhibit behaviors such as using both prosocial and coercive strategies based on how much is to be gained in a situation, and they tend to manipulate indirectly. Children who score highly on the Machiavellianism scale tend to be more successful in manipulation, do it more frequently, and are judged as better at manipulation than those who score lower. Parental levels of Machiavellianism seem to have a slight effect on the child's own level. Machiavellianism levels in fathers was positively correlated with the Machiavellianism levels of their children, but the mother's level had no significant effect. One study concluded that "parental Machiavellianism is a predictor and perhaps a cause of children's Machiavellian beliefs and their manipulative success". Machiavellianism is also correlated with childhood aggression, especially concerning the control of social hierarchies. One study found a trend upwards with respect to Machiavellianism from late childhood to adolescence, when levels of Machiavellianism are thought to peak. From adolescence throughout adulthood there is a significant and steady downward trend with regard to levels of Machiavellianism, until the age of 65 where an overall lifetime minimum is reached.

Peer ratings of children high on Machiavellianism are inconsistent, with some researchers reporting that juvenile High Machs are rated as popular, and some reporting that they are less well liked by peers. A study involving Greek children ages 8–12 noted that the children highest in Machiavellianism showed aggressive tendencies and were more likely to bully others, though the tactics varied by gender.

## Dark triad

In 1998, John McHoskey, William Worzel, and Christopher Szyarto proposed that narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy are more or less interchangeable in normal samples. Delroy L. Paulhus and McHoskey debated these perspectives at an American Psychological Association conference, inspiring a body of research that continues to grow in the published literature. Delroy Paulhus and Kevin Williams found enough differences between the traits to suggest that they were distinct despite their similarities, thus the concept of a "triad" of offensive personality traits was conceptualized. There has been research on Machiavellianism using various dark triad measures, including the Short Dark Triad (SD3), and the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen test.

### Psychopathy

Many psychologists consider Machiavellianism to be essentially indistinguishable from psychopathy, as they both share manipulative tendencies, disregard for morality, and cold callousness as their primary attributes. There is an immense and ongoing debate amongst researchers as to whether or not Machiavellianism and psychopathy should be treated as the same construct, or at least view Machiavellianism as a trait of psychopathy. When tested, High Machs scored consistently high on measures of psychopathy, more than Low Machs. Primary psychopaths also scored higher on the Machiavellianism scale than secondary psychopaths. According to John McHoskey, the MACH-IV test is merely "a global measure of psychopathy in noninstitutionalized populations", and that this is a result of the disconnect between clinical and personality psychology. Many have stated that the Machiavellianism scale measures nothing more than "successful" psychopathy, or psychopathy without the extreme clinical characteristics. Even compared to other "dark" traits, research has shown that Psychopathy correlates with Machiavellianism far more than it correlates with narcissism. Some authors have stated that Machiavellianism and psychopathy represent the issue of a jangle fallacy, as both constructs are named differently yet describe the same concept. A recent paper published in 2022 stated that Machiavellianism "is theoretically distinct from psychopathy, but empirically they are nearly indistinguishable". Beverly Fehr even suggested that psychopaths may be simply "High Machs who have had run up against the law". Robert Hare, author of the Psychopathy Checklist, stated that Machiavellianism is more closely related to PCL Factor 1, affective detachment, than to Factor 2, an antisocial lifestyle. According to Christopher Patrick, high Psychopathy Checklist scores correlated with much higher Machiavellianism scores, as well as higher scores on boldness and aggressiveness.

Researchers note that Machiavellianism is well represented in every measure of psychopathy, such as the Factor 1 characteristics on the Psychopathy Checklist, more specifically traits such as "conning/manipulative", "pathological lying,” "callous/lack of empathy", and “glibness/superficial charm”. Donald Lynam and others noted that Machiavellianism is also represented in the "Interpersonal Manipulation" factor in Hare’s Self-Report Psychopathy Scale-III and in the "Manipulation" scale in the Elemental Psychopathy Assessment. The researchers state that "ultimately, measures of psychopathy and MACH appear to be measuring the same construct, and MACH assessments fail to capture the construct as articulated in theoretical descriptions". Michael Levenson, author of the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale disagreed with the notion of distinguishing machiavellianism from psychopathy, stating that it "does not accord" with empirical research which shows Machiavellianism being heavily related to primary psychopathy. Machiavellianism has a strong relationship with both primary and secondary psychopathy on Levenson's self report test. In experiments High Machs also scored highly on the Psychopathic Deviate subscale on the MMPI. On the Psychopathic Personality Inventory, created by Scott Lilienfeld and Brian Andrews, there is even a subscale similarly named "Machiavellian Egocentricity". The subscale is said to assess a "ruthless and self centered willingness to exploit others". Machiavellianism and psychopathy have both been negatively correlated with the recognition of facial emotions, with one study stating that "if the ability to recognise facial expressions is exclusively an affective empathy task, it indeed accounts for the facial recognition deficits found in primary psychopathy and Machiavellianism." High scores on the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure questionnaire strongly correlated with Machiavellianism.

Machiavellianism and psychopathy overlap so heavily that researchers have proposed merging the two traits into each other, preferably Machiavellianism as a facet of psychopathy. There have been attempts to combine Machiavellianism and psychopathy into one construct, such as the creation of a "Dark Dyad" as opposed to a "Dark Triad", with the exclusion of narcissism.

A recent study done on criminal psychopaths noted that Machiavellianism showed the strongest association with the affective aspect of psychopathy.

#### Difference between constructs:Impulse control

Many other psychologists state that while Machiavellianism and psychopathy overlap heavily, there is much evidence to suggest that they are distinct personality constructs. Psychologists who stress the differences between Machiavellianism and psychopathy state that, in total contrast to high Machs, psychopaths are impulsive, tend to be reckless, and lack long term planning skills. Delroy Paulhus and others have stated that this difference between the two traits is often underappreciated. Scholars also note that those high on Machiavellianism can delay gratification, and have more sensitivity to punishment and awareness of consequences than psychopaths. Though both traits have a heritable basis, Machiavellianism is more influenced by the environment than psychopathy. High Machs have been described as "master manipulators" and far better at manipulation than psychopaths and narcissists.

Daniel Jones notes that even though both psychopaths and High Machs share a manipulative and callous nature, the difference between Machiavellianism and psychopathy lies in the type of manipulation employed by the two constructs. Machiavellianism is marked by calculated planning, and manipulating only when something is to be gained, while psychopathy is marked by rashness, and manipulating regardless of situation. O'Boyle and others found however that the notion that Machiavellianism is marked by cautiousness does not match empirical research which shows that it can be correlated with reckless behavior in certain situations.

### Narcissism

Individuals high in Machiavellianism and narcissism both manipulate to improve their reputations, and how they appear to others. Individuals high in the two traits do this as a form of self aggrandizement to help their chances of success in a given situation. Machiavellianism scores were positively associated with aspects of narcissism such as entitlement and exploitativeness, and inversely associated with adaptive narcissistic tendencies, like self-sufficiency. Studies have also shown that those higher on Machiavellianism are more realistic about their character, while narcissists are less realistic about theirs. Compared to High Machs, narcissists are less malevolent and show a more socially positive personality. They also have higher levels of self-rated happiness.

Machiavellianism and narcissism both share a lack of empathy and a focus on self-interest, though the two traits differ in how they manifest in people, and what their motivations are. High Machs have tendencies to be driven by personal gain, whereas narcissists are driven by a need for validation and admiration. Opposed to those high on narcissism, High Machs tend to be more strategic and calculating in their interpersonal interactions, while narcissists may be more impulsive and attention-seeking.

In terms of social relationships, High Machs are more likely to be more exploitative towards others, while narcissists may be more likely to seek out relationships that serve to bolster their self-esteem and provide them with the admiration they desire.

Compared to subclinical narcissists, High Machs exhibit a greater lack of empathy, because of the emotional deficiencies inherent within Machiavellianism.

### White collar crime

Research has shown that individuals high in Machiavellianism may be more willing to engage in white collar crimes. Psychologist Daniel Jones has stated that "individuals higher on Machiavellianism are well suited for crimes in the financial world, especially crimes that skirt the legal system". Delroy Paulhus has stated that Machiavellianism is the main trait for white collar criminals and con artists, and not psychopathy, stating that:

Although direct research on this topic is difficult, it seems clear that malevolent stockbrokers such as Bernie Madoff do not qualify as psychopaths: They are corporate Machiavellians who use deliberate, strategic procedures for exploiting others. A genuine psychopath, even at the subclinical level, lacks the self-control to orchestrate the schemes of a shrewd stockbroker.

In a research paper, Daniel Jones and others stated that a person high on Machiavellianism would also be possibly drawn to cybercrime, noting that "although we did not directly assess crimes, we did find patterns of system infiltration that were different among the three traits, with Machiavellianism being associated with the stealthiest approach among the three traits." They also stated that Machiavellianism would only be associated with crime if the "benefits outweighed the risks". They went on to clarify that this is opposed to individuals high in psychopathy, whom are prone to crime regardless of the situation.

### Other "dark" groupings

Machiavellianism has been featured in many other groupings of dark traits, such as the dark tetrad, which adds sadism to the dark triad traits.

The paper titled "The Dark Core of Personality" introduced a theoretical framework to understand various "dark traits" in personality as manifestations of a single underlying factor called the Dark Factor of Personality. This factor represents a general dispositional tendency where individuals prioritize their own utility (self-interest) at the expense of others, often justifying their actions through certain beliefs. The concept of D encapsulates all of the main "dark traits", with the addition of Spitefulness, Egoism, Moral Disengagement, Entitlement, and Self-interest. The authors of the study argued that while Machiavellianism, along with other dark traits like Narcissism and Psychopathy, has its unique features, it also shares a common core with these traits, which is encapsulated in the D factor. This means that people who score high in Machiavellianism tend to exhibit behaviors that prioritize their own benefit over others' which correlate with characteristis that align with the D factor. It is said that manipulativeness and callousness is responsible for the covariances among the dark personalities in general.

The light triad is a personality model that contrasts the dark triad, which comprises Kantianism, faith in humanity, and humanism. Kantianism was compared to Machiavellianism as it's opposite. Both Kantianism and Machiavellianism are traits which are tongue in cheek references to philosophers. The "Light Triad" and its characteristics were most strongly negatively correlated with Machiavellianism.

## DSM: Trait, not disorder

Machiavellianism has never been considered a disorder, nor has it been referenced in any version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. It has been treated as strictly a personality construct. It is primarily studied by personality psychologists, as it is a non-clinical personality style.

## Relations with other personality traits

There is immense literature concerning the relationships between Machiavellianism and other personality dimensions, such as the traits in the Big Five trait model. Machiavellianism has also been related to interpersonal aggression and hostile behavior.

### Big Five

Mach-IV scores are negatively correlated with agreeableness (r = −0.47) and conscientiousness (r = −0.34), two dimensions of the Big Five personality model (NEO-PI-R). The FFMI corrects for this by including aspects of high conscientiousness in the scale (e.g. order, deliberation). Additionally, Machiavellianism correlates more highly with the honesty-humility dimension of the six-factor HEXACO model than with any of the big five dimensions. Machiavellianism has also been located within the interpersonal circumplex, which consists of the two independent dimensions of agency and communion. Agency refers to the motivation to succeed and to individuate the self, whereas communion refers to the motivation to merge with others and to support group interests. Machiavellianism lies in the quadrant of the circumplex defined by high agency and low communion. Machiavellianism has been found to lie diagonally opposite from a circumplex construct called self-construal, a tendency to prefer communion over agency. This suggests that people high in Machiavellianism do not simply wish to achieve, they wish to do so at the expense of (or at least without regard to) others.

### Hot and cold empathy

There are two distinct types of empathy which people use to relate to each other which are referred to as hot and cold empathy. Cold empathy (or cognitive empathy) refers to the understanding of how others might react to one's actions or a certain event. Hot empathy (or emotional/affective empathy) refers to the emotional reaction others might have to the emotions of another person. Machiavellianism was consistently negatively correlated with affective empathy in nearly every study. Machiavellianism was also negatively correlated with affective resonance (feeling good when others feel good) and positively associated with affective dissonance (e.g. feeling happy when others are sad). People high in Machiavellianism tend to have a better understanding of cold empathy and do not feel hot empathy which explains why they seem cold and uncaring. Research results have also suggested that High Machs are deficient only at the level of affective empathy (sharing of emotions), whereas their cognitive empathy is intact, even high. Another study suggested that high Machs are deficient at both kinds of empathy. Studies also assert that high Machs do not feel guilt or remorse over the consequences of their manipulations. High Machs are less likely to be altruistic, and they are less likely to be concerned with the problems of others. High Machs are also less emotionally expressive and have a hard time recognizing and understanding the emotional states of others. One study proposed that High Machs have more automatic (that is, un-conscious) recognition of other's negative emotions more than low Machs, and though they don't internalize these feelings, the understanding of those emotions may in fact aid in the manipulation of others. Children who scored higher on Machiavellianism showed a lack of empathy and more delinquent behaviors compared to those who scored lower, such as a lack of guilt, lying, cheating, and truancy.

Some authors have stated that since Machiavellianism is so diametrically opposed to empathy, it should be included in empathy scales as the polar opposite. Total scores on Machiavellianism and empathy were "significantly negatively correlated".

### Unemotionality

One of the primary traits of machiavellianism is a detached, unemotional attitude and lack of affect in regards to others. Christie and Geis noted that the primary difference between high machs and low machs was the degree of emotion invested in interpersonal relations, with those scoring high having the lowest. Research has been done on the extent of the low emotionality of those who score high on the Machiavellianism scale. Doris Mcllwain noted that "Machiavellians do not inhabit the realm of emotion in the same way as others, yet they use it to manipulate others. They do not experience feelings, empathy, or morality in normative ways. yet they are consummate manipulators and deceivers precisely by playing upon these sentiments and convictions in others. Thus they induce in others the guilt they hardly feel themselves." A study done by Farah Ali and others noted that Machiavellianism seems to have emotional reactions to stimuli similar to primary psychopathy, differing only in higher levels of anxiety, which those who score highly on machiavellianism may be prone to. Machiavellianism has an unclear relation with anxiety levels, some researchers have found positive correlations, while some have found no relation at all. High Machs demonstrate reduced skills in expressing their emotions.

A recent analysis discovered that, in addition to acting for mostly self interest and profit, High Machs used significantly less words when referring to emotional involvement. They concluded that "this study confirmed previous findings that High Machs have a cool and rational character and a pro-self orientation and showed that their lack of group orientation may account for their low cooperation in social dilemmas."

Alexithymia is also considered a key trait that is correlated heavily with Machiavellianism. It is the lack of awareness of one's own emotions as well as the emotions of others. When tested, healthy alexithymic individuals have been found to obtain high Machiavellianism scores. This was not surprising to researchers, seeing as the unemotionality of Machiavellianism shows similarities to what alexithymics experience. One study examined the relationship between alexithymia and endorsement of beliefs associated with Machiavellianism amongst university students. Results showed a positive correlation between alexithymia and exploitative beliefs, suggesting those with higher levels of alexithymia were more likely to endorse the view that manipulating others is an effective strategy.

### Neuroticism/Depression

Researchers have often debated the potential links between Machiavellianism and a neurotic, anxious disposition. In a study done by psychologists Hans Eysenck, his wife Sybil, and John Allsopp, they note that they found "virtually no relationship" between Machiavellianism and neuroticism, unlike the relationships they found with Machiavellianism and Extraversion - Psychoticism respectively. However John McHoskey found links between Machiavellianism and neuroticism, along with the other personality traits popularized by Eysenck. Studies using measures of the Big Five personality traits have variously found positive or no correlation between Machiavellianism and Neuroticism.

Machiavellianism has very scant correlations with depression, and the higher one's Machiavellianism score was, the lower their depression level was. One study even noted that depressed males "were significantly less Machiavellian than were nondepressed males". They then estimate that "depression in males, then, may be of a more self-aggressive, self-destructive nature". High Machs who have higher levels of emotional intelligence scores show less depressive symptoms.

### Motivation

A 1992 review described the motivation of those high on the Machiavellianism scale as related to cold selfishness and pure instrumentality, and those high on the trait were assumed to pursue their motives (e.g. sex, achievement, sociality) in duplicitous ways. More recent research on the motivations of high Machs compared to low Machs found that they gave high priority to money, power, and competition and relatively low priority to community building, self-love, and family commitment. High Machs admitted to focusing on unmitigated achievement and winning at any cost.

The research on behaviors which high Machs engage in suggest that they are willing to achieve their goals by bending and breaking rules, cheating, and stealing. People high in Machiavellianism are able to easily switch between working with others to taking advantage of others to achieve their goals, and they are more willing to do things others see as terrible or immoral.

### Intelligence and other cognitive skills

Due to their skill at interpersonal manipulation, there has often been an assumption that high Machs possess superior intelligence, or ability to understand other people in social situations. Recent research provides some support for this assumption. However, other research has established that Machiavellianism is unrelated to IQ. Paulhus and Williams found "significant associations of psychopathy and Machiavellianism with a relatively higher nonverbal to verbal IQ score".

Studies on emotional intelligence have usually found that high Machiavellianism is associated with low emotional intelligence as assessed by both performance and questionnaire measures.

Research has examined the relationship between trait emotional intelligence (EI), Machiavellianism, and the personality trait of agreeableness. The findings of one paper revealed that while trait EI and the ability to manage others' emotions were negatively correlated with Machiavellianism, this relationship was mediated by agreeableness. Specifically, those high in trait EI tended to be low in Machiavellianism primarily because they were high in agreeableness, reflecting a cooperative and prosocial nature. One study found that Machiavellianism was negatively associated with most facets of socio-emotional intelligence (SEI), including social expressivity, social sensitivity, emotional expressivity, and emotional sensitivity. However, Machiavellianism showed no significant relationship with emotional control, which involves regulating one's own emotional displays. Machiavellianism was positively associated with emotional manipulation, the tendency to strategically influence others' emotions. Despite this association, Machiavellianism did not moderate the relationship between any facet of SEI and emotional manipulation. This suggests that while High Machs have a propensity for emotionally manipulative behavior, they may not be utilizing socio-emotional skills towards that end. The authors propose this could be due to the High Mach's externally-oriented and unemotional perspective.

Both emotional empathy and emotion recognition have been shown to have negative correlations with Machiavellianism. Additionally, research has shown that Machiavellianism is unrelated to a more advanced theory of mind, that is, the ability to anticipate what others are thinking in social situations. However, research results have suggested the contrary viewpoint that high Machiavellianism is associated with excellent theory of mind skills.

When it comes to manipulation, individuals high in Machiavellianism may, according to Bereczkei, "have certain cognitive and social skills that enable them to properly adapt to the challenges of environmental circumstances". They also are incredibly perceptive to the presence of others, and are able to feign altruism to enhance their reputation. A recent study investigated whether Machiavellianism is associated with the production of "bullshit" - inaccurate or meaningless information intended to impress, persuade or mislead. The researchers found that the manipulative aspect of Machiavellianism (Machiavellian approach) was linked to "persuasive bullshitting", aimed at gaining desired resources. The distrustful aspect (Machiavellian avoidance) was associated with "evasive bullshitting", spreading vague information to prevent disadvantages. Those high in Machiavellian avoidance were even better at distinguishing misinformation from valuable information.

### Neurological studies

There have been few studies on the neural correlates of Machiavellianism. Research has shown that Machiavellianism has been correlated with changes in gray matter in the areas of the basal ganglia, left prefrontal cortex, bilaterally in the insula, and in the right hippocampus and the left parahippocampal gyrus. Researcher Tamas Bereczkei stated that the manipulation skill in High Machs is associated with neural correlates that are responsible for decision making. He also noted that behaviors associated with Machiavellianism need to "recruit more neural resources than a honest behavior, especially when manipulators face a cooperative partner as a potential victim. Machiavellians have to inhibit the norm of reciprocity and, additionally, generate an opposite response." Machiavellianism has also been linked with lesions in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Frontal dysfunction was also linked with Machiavellianism. Daniel Jones also concluded that those who score high on Machiavellianism have the "neurological structure of a strategic manipulator". The activation of the task-positive network (TPN) and the default mode network (DMN) have also been associated with a lack of genuine empathy, and also have been observed in Machiavellianism. A recent study linked regional gray matter volume in the left superior frontal gyrus to both Machiavellianism and social aggression, which is "intentional antisocial behavior directed to damage others’ social reputations or interpersonal relationships through socially manipulative tactics".

## Social relationships

The effects that one's level of Machiavellianism has on a person's socialization and interpersonal relationships, such as friendships and romantic relationships, has been studied extensively. High Machs are highly likely to ingratiate themselves within social groups via compliments and conforming their opinions to those around them. High Machs are more than likely to choose better quality friends, as they have a better time at guessing who is a good person and thus more pliable for manipulation. Machiavellianism was also correlated with withdrawal and avoidance in romantic relationships. Individuals high in all dark triad traits find it easy to end relationships, and tend to prefer short-term relationships over long term ones. Studies done on courtship showed that women higher on machiavellianism tend to go on dates not for sexual reasons but for free food, a phenomenon known as a "foodie call". Because a lack of empathy and affect with regards to others is one of the main features of Machiavellianism, individuals high on the trait tend to act in a utilitarian, self interested manner, prefer emotionally detached relationships, and are not concerned with the other person's needs. High machs report lower relationship satisfaction than those lower on the scale. Though there has been research on the potential "attractiveness" of the dark triad traits, out of all of the traits in the dark triad, Machiavellianism was the least attractive to the opposite sex. One of the studies concluded that "The third DT trait, Machiavellianism, was significantly negatively associated with being chosen and mate appeal for STR in women." Another study claimed that this was because high Machs tend to be way less extroverted than narcissists and psychopaths, and that "it is possible that individuals do not like cynical, manipulative, aggressive, remorseless, and duplicitous people such as Machiavellians and psychopaths".

Like the other dark triad traits, those high on Machiavellianism have been reportedly more willing to troll or flame others on the internet, however a 2021 study found no particularly strong connection between trolling and dark personality traits. Machiavellianism has also been correlated with a higher than average belief in conspiracy theories. Because of their emphasis on hierarchy, high scorers in Machiavellianism were also found with higher levels of prejudice, and higher social dominance orientation scores.

### Gender differences

Research has consistently shown that men score higher than women in Machiavellianism. There is evidence to suggest that Machiavellianism is represented differently in both sexes, with men being more opportunistic, self confident, and willing to take risks, while women higher in Machiavellianism are more likely to be avoidant and have anxious features. While only psychopathy was an indicator of future infidelity amongst men, both psychopathy and Machiavellianism were predictors amongst women. The findings of one research paper showed that men, but not women, high in Machiavellianism were non-impulsive and high in planning, which suggests that the apparent impulsivity of Machiavellianism may be a question of gender. Peter Jonason suggested that the reason why men score much higher than women in dark triad traits is because men require less emotional connection in order to get ahead in life.

### Cross-cultural studies

There have been many studies on how Machiavellianism is presented in people from different countries and with different cultures. Multiple studies found that in nearly all countries, men scored higher than women in Machiavellianism, and that the gender differences were notable. The populations of many other countries varied from their western counterparts in their levels of dark triad traits overall, which the authors of one study attributed to sociopolitical factors and levels of economic engagement. In another cross cultural study, Machiavellianism also showed associations with limited interactive or normative values. A study investigated the relationship between emotion recognition and dark personality traits (including Machiavellianism) across cultures. The effects were gender and culture-dependent. Among both German males and females, Machiavellianism showed strong positive associations with emotionally manipulative tactics. Some scholars noted an issue with many cross cultural studies on machiavellianism, primarily that "researchers have used measures of Machiavellianism (Mach IV) which were derived from Western concepts and which may not have similar meanings when applied to non-Western groups."

### Aggression and antisocial behavior

Machiavellianism has little association with the outright display of overt aggression. Those high in Machiavellianism tend to be more more aggressive to short term as opposed to long term partners. While Machiavellianism is associated with hostility, those high on the trait may mask it depending on the manipulation tactic used. Machiavellianism also is associated with the tuning of aggression to the benefit long term objectives, only engaging in antisocial behavior when the stakes are low and it proffers benefits, unlike psychopathy and narcissism. In a study by Delroy Paulhus and Daniel Jones, High Machs were found to refrain from cheating under risky situations, preferring to sustain their reputation for the long term than to engage in short term financial gain. The authors then state that High Machs may cheat under high risk scenarios, but only when "ego-depleted", which then makes their behavior appear similar to those of psychopaths. McHoskey found that MACH is associated with "cheating, divulging intimate sexual secrets to third parties, and both feigning love and inducing intoxication to secure sex". He also suggested that Machiavellianism is correlated with an extensive focus on financial gain, and is also correlated with antisocial behaviors such as stealing, vandalism, and cheating as opposed to prosocial actions like helping others.

## In the workplace

Machiavellianism is also studied by organizational psychologists, especially those who study manipulative behaviors in workplace settings. Workplace behaviors associated with this concept include flattery, deceit, coercion, and the abuse of others through one's position of leadership. These behaviors in the workplace are ultimately done to advance personal interests. Research has shown that one's level of Machiavellianism can be a major factor in situations where workplace manipulation is involved because this trait can have an effect on the ability for an individual to "fit" into a highly political work environment. Research has found individuals with Dark Triad traits are drawn to entrepreneurship. Certain qualities found in the Dark Triad are similar to traits needed for effective entrepreneurship, such as confidence, charisma and risk taking.

### Career choice and advancement

Individuals high in machiavellianism tend to gravitate towards particular careers, especially those that require a high degree of competitiveness needed to succeed. High Machs are ambitious enough to cut corners and use aggressive means if it is necessary to get ahead in their careers. One study found that "Machiavellianism was positively related to leadership position and career satisfaction". Individuals high in machiavellianism are especially drawn to leadership and management positions, which became an important subject in the primary literature. Sales careers also attract dark triad individuals, with one study stating that such individuals are "prevalent" in the industry. One study noted that those who possess high Machiavellianism levels "are more productive but received lower overall managerial ratings", and that "Machiavellianism may in certain circumstances, be somewhat advantageous for long-term sales performance." Machiavellianism was also associated with the use of "hard" (i.e. aggressive and hostile behavior) and "soft" (i.e. joking/kidding, offering compliments) tactics in the workforce. One's political skill in the workplace and elsewhere may even mask the behaviors and characteristics associated with machiavellianism.

It was shown that those high on Machiavellianism are more drawn to academic majors like economics, law, and politics, as opposed to the "person-oriented" majors like education, nursing, and social work that were associated with lower Machiavellianism scores.

## Scale Evaluation

### Dimensions of the MACH scale

Although there have been a myriad of proposed factor structures, two dimensions emerge most consistently within factor-analytic research which separates the views from the behaviors in Machiavellianism. Although many posit that the Mach IV scale is unable to reliably capture the two dimensions, a 10-item subset of the scale known as the "two-dimensional Mach IV" (TDM-V), reproduces the views and tactics dimensions across countries, genders, sample types, and scale category length. The "Views" dimension appears to capture the neurotic, narcissistic, pessimistic, and distrustful aspects of Machiavellianism, while the "Tactics" component captures the more unconscientious, self-serving, and deceitful behavioral aspects. More recently, in response to criticisms of the Mach-IV, researchers developed the Five-Factor Machiavellianism Inventory (FFMI), which attempts to include concepts (like being calculated and planful) that are not adequately captured by the Mach-IV.

### Construct validity and criticism

There has been debate on how valid scales of Machiavellianism are in tapping the construct. It is often stated by those critical of Machiavellianism scales that it does not actually measure the theoretical trait, but something nearly identical to psychopathy and narcissism. For example, it is often stated that Machiavellianism is marked by less impulsivity and better long term thinking as opposed to psychopathy, but some empirical research shows that even High Machs can act impulsive in certain scenarios. Lynam and others stated "we suggest that existing measures of Machiavellianism are functioning as proxy measures of psychopathy." Psychologist John Rauthmann viewed the MACH-IV as more of a measure of cynicism, and that it doesn't really capture other qualities of Machiavellianism.

Most of the research done on Machiavellianism has been done with either the Mach IV or Mach V, though the Mach V is no longer in use due to psychometric issues. Many have expressed concerns with the reliability of the Mach IV scale to capture all of the features of Machiavellianism, thus many proposals have been made in favor of other Machiavellianism scales.

John Rauthmann and others have stated that, while the MACH-IV is "a generally reliable and valid scale", it has its shortcomings. These include the response styles of the test takers, the varying factor structures, and "insufficient content and construct validity". The researchers developed their own scale instead to study Machiavellianism multidimensionally instead of unidimensionally to prevent the construct from becoming hard to study effectively. Psychologist Jason Dahling and others have created another measure of Machiavellianism, dubbed the Machiavellian Personality Scale (or MPS for short).

Daniel Jones has stated that the MACH IV, despite all of its merits, is an "outdated instrument" and "is not helping the field with precision". He ultimately states that it "should be replaced by assessments that are more precise reflections of the construct."

### Application of the scale in other research

In 2002, the Machiavellianism scale of Christie and Geis was applied by behavioral game theorists Anna Gunnthorsdottir, Kevin McCabe and Vernon L. Smith in their search for explanations for the spread of observed behavior in experimental games, in particular individual choices which do not correspond to assumptions of material self-interest captured by the standard Nash equilibrium prediction. It was found that in a trust game, those with high Mach-IV scores tended to follow Homo economicus ' equilibrium strategies while those with low Mach-IV scores tended to deviate from the equilibrium, and instead made choices that reflected widely accepted moral standards and social preferences.

A study done by David Wilson and other researchers noted that while High Machs tend to defect from their groups, they are also unlikely to succeed in the long term simply by manipulating others, and that some cooperation is necessary for further success and to avoid a situation in which they are retaliated against. Wilson also noted that since those who are high in Machiavellianism often come across as charming and attractive in brief social encounters, it is unclear whether they are being deceitful or just very skilled socially. The researchers had people who scored high and low on Machiavellianism write first-person stories. Other participants then evaluated these stories. The results showed that people with low Machiavellianism tended to be more cooperative, while those with high Machiavellianism were more exploitative. Based on these stories, high Machs were generally rejected as social partners, except when their manipulative skills could be used against members of other groups.

## Sources


Mask Singer (French TV series)

# Mask Singer (French TV series)

## Abstract

Mask Singer is a French reality television series based on the format of the South Korean television game show series King of Mask Singer by Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation. Run by TF1 Group, Mask Singer is a singing competition between celebrities donning elaborate costumes and face coverings to conceal their identity from the audience, judges and other contestants.

The first season of Mask Singer premiered 8 November 2019. Hosted by Camille Combal, it featured TV host and producer Alessandra Sublet, singer Anggun as well as humorists Kev Adams and Jarry on the judging panel. The second season commenced filming in 2020, and aired from 17 October to 28 November 2020 with the same host and panel. The third season started airing on April 1, 2022, featured the exact same host and panel, along with a surprise fifth judge, a new addition to the series. The fourth season started to air on August 23, 2022, on a weekly prime-time format. The fifth season began on April 14, 2023. The sixth season began on May 3, 2024.

## Format

A group of celebrities compete anonymously on stage, singing in full costumes over a series of episodes. Each episode, a portion of the competitors are paired off into face-off competitions, in which each will perform a song of his/her choice. From each face-off, the panelists and live audience vote: the winner's safe for the week, while the loser is put up for elimination. At the end of the episode, the face-off's losers are then subjected to new votes of the panelists to determine who will not continue. The eliminated singer then enters a special room backstage where it turns its back to the camera, takes off its mask, then turns around to reveal his/her identity to the viewers.

In addition to the singing competition, hints to each masked singer's identity are offered during the show. Pre-taped interviews are given as hints and feature their distorted voices. The panelists are given time to speculate the identity of the singer after the performance and ask them a single question to try and determine their identity.

## Panelists and host

Following the announcement of the series, TF1 announced that the judging panel for season 1 would consist of Radio & TV Host Alessandra Sublet, singer Anggun and comedians Kev Adams and Jarry. Said panel remained for seasons 2 and 3. On June 4, 2022, it was announced that three new panellists would join Kev Adams for the fourth season in replacement to Jarry, Alessandra Sublet and Anggun : ventriloquist and stand-up comedian Jeff Panacloc, actress and comedian Chantal Ladesou, and singer-songwriter Vitaa ; constitute the new panel of judges for season 4.

## Season synopsis

## Season 1 (2019)

### Contestants

### Episodes

#### Week 3 (22 November)

Two singers are to be eliminated this episode. Therefore, Sing-offs are canceled : Contestants sing only once before being subjected to the vote.

Group Number: " Uptown Funk " by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars

#### Week 4 (29 November)

Two singers are to be eliminated this episode. Therefore, Sing-offs are canceled : Contestants sing only once before being subjected to the vote.

#### Week 5 (6 December)

Two singers are to be eliminated this episode. Therefore, Sing-offs are canceled : Contestants sing only once before being subjected to the vote.

#### Week 6 (13 December)

As only 4 characters are still in competition, run time allows for face-offs again. The 4th place was determined by a first round of duels then a face-off, while the top 3 was determined in a second round.

## Season 2 (2020)

### Contestants

### Episodes

#### Week 2 (24 October)

Guest Performance: " Million Reasons " by Lady Gaga performed by Itziar Ituño as "Ballerina."

#### Week 4 (7 November)

Panelist Performance: " Eye of the Tiger " by Survivor performed by Anggun as "Disco Ball."

#### Week 5 (21 November)

Group Number: "Allez reste" by Boulevard des Airs ft. Vianney

#### Week 6 (28 November)

##### Round One

For the first round the contestants did a duet with a previous contestant.

## Season 3 (2022)

### Contestants

### Episodes

#### Week 2 (8 April)

- Guest Performance: " Feeling Good " by Nina Simone performed by Teri Hatcher as Ladybug

#### Week 4 (22 April)

- Guest Performance: " Le Banana Split " by Lio performed by Anne Roumanoff as Gorilla

- Guest Performance: " Envole-moi " by Jean-Jacques Goldman performed by Jarry as Elephant

#### Week 5 (29 April)

- Group Performance: " Ça (C'est Vraiment Toi) " by Téléphone

- Guest Performance: " With or Without You " by U2 performed by Seal as Cowboy

#### Week 6 (6 May)

- Guest Performance: " Pauvres Diables " by Julio Iglesias performed by Kendji Girac as Wolf

#### Week 7 (13 May)

##### Round One

- For the first round the contestants did a duet with a previous contestant.

## Season 4 (2022)

### Episodes

#### Week 3 (6 September)

- Guest Performance: " My Way " by Frank Sinatra performed by David Hasselhoff as Cobra

#### Week 5 (20 September)

- Group Performance: "Quand la musique est bonne" by Jean-Jacques Goldman

- Guest Performance: " Let's Twist Again " by Chubby Checker performed by Francis Huster " as "Viking"

#### Week 6 (27 September)

- Guest Performance: " Price Tag " by Jessie J ft. B.o.B performed by Tori Spelling as Cat

#### Week 7 (4 October)

- Guest Performance: "La Boîte de jazz" by Michel Jonasz performed by Inès Reg as Tigress

#### Week 8 (11 October)

## Season 5 (2023)

### Episodes

#### Week 3 (28 April)

- Guest Performance: " Roar " by Katy Perry performed by Mel B as Sun

#### Week 4 (5 May)

- Guest Performance: "Attention Mesdames et Messieurs" by Michel Fugain performed by Laurent Ruquier as Lobster

#### Week 6 (19 May)

- Guest Performance: " Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me " by Elton John performed by Anastacia as Kangaroo

#### Week 7 (26 May)

- Group Performance: " J'ai cherché " by Amir Haddad

- Guest Performance: " Grenade " by Bruno Mars performed by Anggun as Bull

#### Week 8 (2 June)

Guest Group Performance: "J'ai vu" by Niagara performed by Laurent Maistret as Knight, Keen'V as Elephant and Amaury Vassili as Turtle

## Season 6 (2024)

### Episodes

### Week 3 (17 May)

- Guest Performance: " Stand By Me " (Stand by Me) by Ben E. King performed by Gloria Gaynor as Ice Queen

#### Week 5 (31 May)

- Guest Performance: " S'il suffisait d'aimer " by Celine Dion performed by Shy'm as "Flake"

#### Week 6 (7 June)

- Guest Performance: " Houdini " by Dua Lipa performed by Natalie Imbruglia as "Joker"

#### Week 7 (15 June)

- Group Performance: "Le Bal masqué" by La Compagnie Créole

- Guest Performance: "Si J'étais un Homme" by Diane Tell performed by Vincent Desagnat as "Avatar"

#### Week 8 (22 June)

Guest Group Performance: "Respire Encore" by Clara Luciani performed by Vincent Niclo as Husky, Aurélie Konaté as Doe and Charlotte Gaccio as Jellyfish


53rd International Eucharistic Congress

# 53rd International Eucharistic Congress

## Abstract

The LIII International Eucharistic Congress 2024 was the Eucharistic congress that took place from September 8 to 15, 2024 in Quito, Ecuador.

Was the first time that the Ecuadorian capital hosts the ecumenical event and the sixth time that it takes place in the American continent, after the various congresses in some cities in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Colombia and after the held in the capital of Hungary, Budapest in 2021.

## Background

After the visit made by Pope Francis in 2015, during the period of the then president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, the pope was enthusiastic about the warmth shown by the Andean country, for which in a meeting held in Rome, he determined that Quito is chosen for the ecumenical congress, to give greater projection to the Catholic religion in a region that has once again been divided in the religious sphere due to the constant sieges of leftist-leaning politicians that have left the region weak.

In one of the Masses held on Thursday, September 9, 2020, at the Eucharistic Congress in Hungary; The Archbishop of Quito, Alfredo José Espinoza Mateus, announced that Quito will host the event that will coincide with the 150th anniversary of the Consecration of Ecuador to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

## Venue

On September 8-15, 2024, will held in the Centro de Convenciones Bicentenario. and the Parque Bicentenario de Quito will be the place of the opening and closing Masses of the Congress.

## Symbols

### Official logo and anthem

The official logo and the winning anthem that will be used in the 53rd edition of the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) to be held in Quito, were presented at the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference (CEE) this May 10, 2023.

The authorship of the Congress logo was Publio Escobar. According to him, his creation represents “brotherhood to heal the world.”

For its part, the winning anthem was Around your table by composers Marco Antonio Espín and the musical religious group Solideo. These are Catholic artists dedicated to evangelizing through "new and unpublished contemporary music."

### Gospel Book

The “Gospel,” symbol of the 53rd International Eucharistic Congress, blessed and signed by Pope Francis, will tour Ecuador starting in September 2024. It is a liturgical book that contains the gospels for each Sunday of the year and solemn holidays.

It is an artistic work made by Santiago Guartambel, whose talent in goldsmithing has given a strong meaning to this unique piece. In this interview, the artist shares details about the creative process and the meanings behind his work.

The artist explains that his work consisted of representing the Sacred Heart of Jesus as an iconic symbol of Ecuador, the same one that is captured on the main cover of the Gospel. Elements that represent the cultural diversity of the country were incorporated, through ethnicities, such as:

On the front cover, the representation of the Heart of Jesus is gold-plated, and the mantle is fire-enamelled. On the back cover there is a shuar symbolizing the East; an indigenous person representing the Sierra; an Afro-Ecuadorian, representing the Coast. In this composition, there is generally a baby, a young man and an old man at the same time.

The design uses in its symbology: a cross, an open heart, a host and 0º (zero latitude), referring to Quito as the middle of the world.

## Broadcasting

### Television and Internet

On May 21, 2024, the 53rd. International Eucharistic Congress was choicen to EWTN, as the official broadcaster for to be carried the ecumenical event broadcasts in all languages around the world, including audiovisual media and through social networks, as Facebook, X, Instagram and WhatsApp.

## Preparations

It was announced that, with this communication, the organizational and spiritual preparation of the next International Eucharistic Congress (IEC2024) begins, in which the National Delegates appointed by the Episcopal Conferences of the different countries also participate. Remembering that the International Eucharistic Congresses are not relics of the past that are difficult to integrate into today's world, but rather, much like the other great public events of the Church, they are committed to generating historical processes of growth of Christian communities around values that bear witness to the presence of God in the history of humanity and reflect more clearly the role of the Eucharist in ecclesial life and praxis.

Father Juan Carlos Garzón, general secretary of the International Eucharistic Congress of Quito 2024, pointed out that this event, which will take place from September 8 to 15 in that city, will be an opportunity to heal “a wounded Ecuador.”

Among those preparations for the ecumenical event, on May 20, 2024, Pope Francis appoints Cardinal Kevin Farrell as special envoy to the LIII International Eucharistic Congress and on August 24, 2024, the Cardinnal Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo was appointed by Pope Francis as the Pontifical Legate for the Internacional Eucharistic Congress to be held in Quito, Ecuador.

## Contingency Plan

In a meeting held on July 17, the details of logistics in mobilization, places of concentration of people, security, health and cleaning and the operations that will be deployed for the successful development of the 53rd Eucharistic Congress that will be held from the 4th to the 15th were refined. September 2024.

The meeting was chaired by Fernanda Racines, deputy mayor, and she learned about the logistical issue that the Archdiocese will move and the agreements that must be reached with the municipality and the operations that will be carried out with all municipal agencies.


Allisen Corpuz

# Allisen Corpuz

## Abstract

Allisen Corpuz (born March 20, 1998) is an American professional golfer and member of the LPGA Tour. She won the 2023 U.S. Women's Open at Pebble Beach.

## Early life, college and amateur career

Corpuz, born to a Filipino father from the Ilocos Region and a Korean mother, is a Hawaii native and attended the Punahou School in Honolulu. A golf prodigy, she was a three-time AJGA All-American. In 2008, she surpassed Michelle Wie as the youngest qualifier in U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links history at 10 years, 3 months and 9 days, and was featured in The New York Times under the headline "Golf's Next Wave".

Corpuz won the 2014 Hawaii State Open, represented Hawaii in the 2014 Asia Pacific Junior Cup and represented the West team at 2012 AJGA Wyndham Cup. Before college, she had played in six USGA championships, the second most ever, and posted nine top-10 finishes in AJGA majors and over 15 top-5 AJGA results. As a high school senior in 2016, she was runner-up at the Canadian Women's Amateur Championship and won the Hawaii State High School Championship on the fourth playoff hole. Corpuz also played as an amateur at the 2016 LPGA Lotte Championship at Ko Olina Resort and carded a second-round 72, but missed the cut by three strokes.

Corpuz played college golf at the University of Southern California from 2016 to 2021 where she led the USC Trojans women's golf team with a 71.57 stroke average and was named a first-team All-American. She played in the 2020 and 2021 Arnold Palmer Cup and also represented the United States at the 2021 Curtis Cup.

The 2020 U.S. Women's Open was her third U.S. Open and her 16th USGA championship. Corpuz was the runner-up to Rachel Kuehn in the 2020 North and South Women's Amateur at Pinehurst Resort, losing in 19 holes.

She rose to a career high of 7th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

## Professional career

Corpuz turned professional in 2021 and finished T16 at Q-School to earn LPGA Tour membership for 2022. In her rookie season, she made 17 cuts in 21 events and finished 41st in the Women's World Golf Rankings. She recorded three top-10 finishes including a runner-up finish at the ISPS Handa World Invitational and a third-place finish at Pelican Women's Championship.

In July 2023, Corpuz won the U.S. Women's Open by three strokes over Charley Hull and Jiyai Shin. She won $2 million, a record. It was her first LPGA Tour win. She rose to a career high world ranking of #8.

## Amateur wins

- 2010 AJGA Junior at Quad Cities

- 2016 Winn Grips Heather Farr Classic, Hawaii State High School Championship

- 2021 Lamkin San Diego Invitational, The Gold Rush

Source:

## Professional wins (1)

## Major championships

### Results timeline

Results not in chronological order.

CUT = missed the half-way cut NT = no tournament T = tied

### Summary

- Most consecutive cuts made – 6 (2023 Chevron – 2024 Chevron)

- Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (three times)

## LPGA Tour career summary

Official as of 2023 season * Includes matchplay and other tournaments without a cut.

## World ranking

Position in Women's World Golf Rankings at the end of each calendar year.

## U.S. national team appearances

Amateur

- Curtis Cup: 2021 (winners)

- Arnold Palmer Cup: 2020, 2021 (winners)

Professional

- Solheim Cup: 2023, 2024 (winners)

### Solheim Cup record

Source:


2005 in Germany

# 2005 in Germany

## Abstract

Events in the year 2005 in Germany.

## Incumbents

- President: Horst Köhler

- Chancellor: Gerhard Schröder (until 22 November 2005) Angela Merkel (from 22 November 2005)

- Gerhard Schröder (until 22 November 2005)

- Angela Merkel (from 22 November 2005)

## Events

- 20 January - German Visa Affair 2005

- 7 February - Honor killing of Hatun Sürücü

- 10–20 February - 55th Berlin International Film Festival

- 12 February - Bundesvision Song Contest 2005

- 12 March - Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005

- 30 May - Allianz Arena in Munich is opened.

- 2 September - SAP Arena in Mannheim is opened.

- 16–21 August - World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne

- 22 November - The First Merkel cabinet led by Angela Merkel was sworn in.

- Date unknown: German company HypoVereinsbank was acquired by Italian company UniCredit Bank AG.

## Elections

- German federal election, 2005

- North Rhine-Westphalia state election, 2005

- Schleswig-Holstein state election, 2005

## Sport

- Bundesliga scandal (2005)

- 2004–05 Bundesliga

- 2004–05 2. Bundesliga

- 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup

- 2004–05 Deutsche Eishockey Liga season

- 2005 German Grand Prix

- 2005 European Grand Prix

- 2005 German motorcycle Grand Prix

- 2005 BMW Open

## Deaths

- 14 January - Rudolph Moshammer, German fashion designer (born 1940)

- 3 February - Ernst Mayr, German biologist (born 1904)

- 21 February - Horst Drinda, German actor (born 1927)

- 24 February - Hans-Jürgen Wischnewski, German politician (born 1922)

- 6 March - Hans Bethe, German nuclear physicist (born 1906)

- 7 March - Walter Arendt, German politician (born 1925)

- 15 March - Konrad Hesse, German judge (born 1919)

- 1 April - Harald Juhnke, German actor and comedian (born 1929)

- 16 April - Volker Vogeler, German film director (born 1930)

- 2 May — Hermann Dörnemann, German supercentenarian (born 1893)

- 19 May - Paul Schneider-Esleben, German architect (born 1915)

- 7 June - Ulrich Briefs, German politician (born 1939)

- 8 July Peter Boenisch, German journalist (born 1927)

- 14 July - Tilly Fleischer, German athlete (born 1911)

- 28 August - Hans Clarin, German actor (born 1929)

- 4 September - Carl-August Fleischhauer, judge (born 1930)

- 12 September Helmut Baierl, German playwright (born 1926)

- 20 October - Rudi Felgenheier, motorcycle race (born 1930)

- 1 December - Karin Himboldt, German actress (born 1920)


Bnei Herzliya Basket

# Bnei Herzliya Basket

## Abstract

Bnei Herzliya Basket (Hebrew: בני הרצליה, lit. Sons of Herzliya), is a professional basketball club that is based in Herzliya, in the Sharon district in Israel. The club plays in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, the top division of Israeli basketball. It has won the Israeli State Cup twice, most recently in 2022. The team was founded in 1985, and the team's colors are blue and white.

## History

The club was originally founded in 1985, under the name Hapoel Herzliya. In 2002, the club merged with Maccabi Ra'anana in a neighboring town, and was re-named Bnei HaSharon. The merger was entered into because of Maccabi Ra'anana's financial problems and Bnei HaSharon's relegation from the top-level Israeli Basketball Premier League, following the 2001–02 season.

At the end of 2010–11 season, the merger ended, and the team started playing only for the Israeli city of Herzliya. In 2012, the club was re-named Bnei Herzliya. In 2022, the club won the Israeli State Cup for the second time, beating Hapoel Tel Aviv 87:82 in the final.

## Titles and honors

### Domestic competitions

- Israeli State Cup

- National League (2nd)

## Players

## Notable players

- Paul Thompson 3 seasons: '92–'95

- Earl Williams 1 season: '93–'94

- John Hudson 3 seasons: '93–'96

- Steve Malovic 1 season: '95–'96

- David Thirdkill 1 season: '95–'96

- Lior Arditi 3 seasons: '95–'98

- Amir Muchtari 3 seasons: '95–'98

- Terence Stansbury 1 season: '96–'97

- Todd Mitchell 1 season: '96–'97

- Darnell Robinson 1 season: '97–'98

- Tal Burstein 3 seasons: '97–'00

- Terrence Rencher 3 seasons: '97–'99, '05–'06

- Augenijus Vaškys 1 season: '98–'99

- Petar Arsić 1 season: '98–'99

- Mark Dean 1 season: '98–'99

- Yaniv Green 3 seasons: '98–'00, '01–'02

- Norris Coleman 1 season: '99

- Greg Sutton 1 season: '99–'00

- Ufuk Sarıca 1 season: '01

- Tyson Wheeler 1 season: '01–'02

- Bryan Bracey 1 season: '01–'02

- Kenny Williams 1 season: '01–'02

- Andrew Kennedy 1 season: '01–'02

- Jarod Stevenson 3 seasons: '01, '02–'04

- Guy Pnini 4 seasons: '02–'06

- Meir Tapiro 3 seasons: '03–'04, '07–'09

- Alvin Young 1 season: '04–'05

- Nitzan Hanochi 5 seasons: '05–'08, '18–present

- Ugonna Onyekwe 3 seasons: '05–'06, '08–'10

- Ousmane Cisse 4 seasons: '05–'09

- Cookie Belcher 5 seasons: '05–'10

- Lee Nailon 2 seasons: '06–'07, '10–'11

- Jason Williams 3 seasons: '06–'08, '11–'12

- Erez Katz 6 seasons: '06–'12

- Shawn James 3 season: '08–'11

- Ira Newble 1 season: '09

- Isaac Rosefelt 4 seasons: '09–'13

- P. J. Tucker 1 season: '10

- Maceo Baston 1 season: '10–'11

- Dan Grunfeld 2 seasons: '10–'11, '13–'14

- Bryant Dunston 1 season: '11

- Ekpe Udoh 1 season: '11

- Tweety Carter 1 season: '11–'12

- Derrick Caracter 1 season: '12–'13

- Jumaine Jones 1 season: '12–'13

- Romel Beck 1 season: '12–'13

- Michael Umeh 1 season: '13–'14

- Oz Blayzer 2 seasons: '13–'15

- Josh Selby 1 season: '14–'15

- Julian Wright 1 season: '15

- Drew Crawford 1 season: '15–'16

- Karam Mashour 3 seasons: '15–'17, '18–'19

- Tom Maayan 3 seasons: '15–'18

- Taurean Green 2 seasons: '16–'18

- Jeff Adrien 3 seasons: '16–'19

- Orr Leumi 4 seasons: '16–20

- D'or Fischer


Subservience

# Subservience

## Abstract

Subservience is a 2024 American sci-fi thriller film directed by S.K. Dale from a screenplay by Will Honley and April Maguire. It stars Megan Fox as an artificially intelligent gynoid who gains sentience and becomes hostile, and Michele Morrone as her purchaser. It was released on September 13, 2024.

## Cast

- Megan Fox as Alice

- Michele Morrone as Nick

- Madeline Zima as Maggie

- Matilda Firth as Isla

- Jude Allen Greenstein as Max

- Andrew Whipp as Monty

## Production

In December 2022, it was announced Megan Fox and Michele Morrone had joined the cast of Subservience. Subservience sees Fox reteaming with filmmaker Dale, who she previously worked with on the horror thriller Till Death (2021). Principal photography began on January 7, 2023, at the Nu Boyana Film Studios in Sofia, Bulgaria. In January 2023, it was announced that Madeline Zima and Andrew Whipp have joined the cast. The same month, the film received a €1 million cash rebate from the Bulgarian National Film Center, amounting to 25% of its total budget.

## Release

Subservience was released on digital formats in the United States on September 13, 2024. In late August 2024, the film was released in Russia and Lithuania where it grossed a total of $159,422.

## Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 47% of 19 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.2/10.


Grand Order of Water Rats

# Grand Order of Water Rats

## Abstract

The Grand Order of Water Rats is a British entertainment industry fraternity and charitable organisation based in London. Founded in 1889 by the music hall comedians Joe Elvin and Jack Lotto, the order is known for its high-profile membership and benevolent works (primarily within the performing industries). Its sister organisation is The Grand Order of Lady Ratlings, which includes female performers and family members.

## History

In 1889, two British music hall performers, Joe Elvin, and Jack Lotto, owned a trotting pony called "Magpie". As the pony was a regular race winner, its owners decided that they would use the profits to help performers who were less fortunate than themselves.

One day, as Elvin was driving the pony back to its stables in the pouring rain, a passing bus driver called out, "Wot yer got there, mate?" "Our trotting pony!" replied Elvin. Observing the bedraggled, soaked condition of the pony, the driver shouted back, "Trotting pony? Looks more like a bleedin' water rat !" As Rats spelled backward is Star, and vole, another name for a water rat, is an anagram of love, the name was deemed appropriate for the Order's agenda of Brotherly Love.

The Water Rats originally held meetings in Sunbury-on-Thames in a public house called The Magpie. Their headquarters is now at The Water Rats pub in Gray's Inn Road in Kings Cross, London. The order "is the most famous show business brotherhood and charity organisation in the world".

## Symbols

The name Water Rats was selected bacause "rats" spelled backward is "star", and vole, another name for a water rat, is an anagram of love, the name was deemed appropriate for the Order's agenda of brotherly love. its motto Is "Philanthropy, conviviality, and social intercourse".

Members are called Rats. They wear a small gold emblem shaped like a water rat on the left lapel of their jackets, and if one Water Rat meets another who is not wearing his emblem he is fined, with the money going to charity. Magician David Nixon wore his while appearing on television, explaining that as current King Rat, he could be fined by any other member who saw him on screen without it.

The head of the organization is called the King Rat. The official publication of the Grand Order of Water Rats publication is The Trap.

## Activities

The order raises money by organising shows, lunches, dinners, and other events. Its objectives of the charity are "to assist members of the theatrical profession, or their dependents, who, due to illness or old age are in need." When possible additional funds raised go to a diverse range of charities and good causes including hospitals, health charities, and benevolent funds.

## Membership

Membership is limited to 180 male members of the entertainment industry plus 20 Companion Rats. Some Water Rats are household names but many are not, but all must be respected and trusted by their peers. Joining the Order is a complicated process that involves finding a proposer and seconder within the Order, consideration by the Order's Grand Council, and finally a vote which needs a large majority for success.

A member of the public can become a Friend of the Water Rats. There is also a small number of Companion Rats, distinguished men from various fields of business and influence who are not performers but who have achieved recognition for their support and friendship of the Order. These include Bob Potter OBE, the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, King Charles III and Prince Michael of Kent.

## King Rats

The first King Rat, who is the head of the charity, was the music hall singer Harry Freeman. The comedian Dan Leno joined in 1890 and was King Rat in 1891, 1892 and 1897. The post is usually held for one year.

Previous King Rats include:

- 1890 Harry Freeman

- 1891 Dan Leno

- 1892 Dan Leno

- 1893 Wal Pink

- 1894 Joe Elvin

- 1895 J. W. Cragg

- 1896 Eugene Stratton

- 1897 Dan Leno

- 1898 Joe O'Gorman (senior)

- 1899 Paul Martinetti

- 1900 Eugene Stratton

- 1901 Joe O'Gorman

- 1902 Wal Pink

- 1903 Fred Russell

- 1904 Tom McNaughton

- 1905 Arthur Reece

- 1906 Little Tich

- 1907 J. Allison

- 1908 W. H. Clemart

- 1909 Fred Ginnett

- 1910 C. Warren

- 1911 Harry Tate

- 1912 Charles Austin

- 1913 Charles Austin

- 1914 Fred Russell

- 1915 William Bankier

- 1916 Lew Lake

- 1917 Lew Lake

- 1918 Charles Austin

- 1919 William Bankier

- 1920 Deane Tribune

- 1921 George D'Albert

World Upheaval – Lodge suspended until 1927

- 1927 Charles Austin

- 1928 Charles Austin

- 1929 Fred Russell

- 1930 Talbot O'Farrell

- 1931 Will Hay

- 1932 Charles Austin

- 1933 Joe Morrison

- 1934 Will Fyffe

- 1935 Marriott Edgar

- 1936 George Wood

- 1937 Stanley Damerell

- 1938 Fred Miller

- 1939 Fred Russell

- 1940 Will Hay

- 1941 John Sharman

- 1942 George Jackley

- 1943 Tom Moss

- 1944 George Doonan

- 1945 Bud Flanagan

- 1946 Teddy Brown (died) / Bud Flanagan

- 1947 Robb Wilton

- 1948 Albert Whelan

- 1949 Ted Ray

- 1950 Ted Ray

- 1951 Bud Flanagan

- 1952 Charlie Chester

- 1953 Ben Warriss

- 1954 George Elrick

- 1955 Tommy Trinder

- 1956 Dave O'Gorman

- 1957 Cyril Dowler

- 1958 Clarkson Rose

- 1959 Johnny Riscoe

- 1960 Arthur Scott

- 1961 Ben Warriss

- 1962 Ben Warriss

- 1963 Tommy Trinder

- 1964 Ted Ray

- 1965 Tommy Trinder

- 1966 Arthur Haynes

- 1967 Terry Cantor

- 1968 Frankie Vaughan

- 1969 Harry Seltzer

- 1970 Phil Hindin

- 1971 George Martin

- 1972 Albert Stevenson

- 1973 George Elrick

- 1974 Cyril Dowler

- 1975 Joe Church

- 1976 David Nixon

- 1977 David Nixon

- 1978 Donald Ross

- 1979 David Berglas

- 1980 Henry Cooper

- 1981 Declan Cluskey

- 1982 Charlie Smithers

- 1983 Len Lowe

- 1984 Davy Kaye

- 1985 Les Dawson

- 1986 Alan Freeman

- 1987 Danny La Rue

- 1988 Bernard Bresslaw

- 1989 Roy Hudd

- 1990 David Lodge

- 1991 Wyn Calvin

- 1992 Bert Weedon

- 1993 John Inman

- 1994 Roger De Courcey

- 1995 Paul Daniels

- 1996 Paul Daniels

- 1997 Alf Pearson

- 1998 Frankie Vaughan

- 1999 Gorden Kaye

- 2000 Roy Hudd

- 2001 Don Smoothey

- 2002 Keith Simmons

- 2003 Chas McDevitt

- 2004 Chas McDevitt

- 2005 Melvyn Hayes

- 2006 Kaplan Kaye

- 2007 Kaplan Kaye

- 2008 Kaplan Kaye

- 2009 Graham Cole

- 2010 Derek Martin

- 2011 Keith Simmons

- 2012 Joe Pasquale

- 2013 Jess Conrad

- 2014 Rick Wakeman

- 2015 Rick Wakeman

- 2016 Ian Richards

- 2017 Ian Richards

- 2018 Adger Brown

- 2019 Nicholas Parsons

- 2020 Duggie Brown

- 2021 Duggie Brown

- 2022 Duggie Brown

- 2023 Chris Emmett

- 2024 Richard Gauntlett

## Grand Order of Lady Ratlings

The Grand Order of Lady Ratlings (GOLR), a sister organisation for female performers and wives, sisters, and daughters of male performers, was established in 1929, when Fred Russell was King Rat of the GOWR. His wife, Lillian Russell, was installed as the first Queen Ratling. From 1965, membership was restricted to "recognised performers, those directly connected with the theatrical profession, wives of Water Rats and Companion Rats." In 1931, Minnie O'Farrell, the wife of Talbot O'Farrell, initiated the Cup of Kindness, which subsequently became a recognised charity.


2012 Puerto Rican general election

# 2012 Puerto Rican general election

## Abstract

General elections were held in Puerto Rico on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, to elect the officials of the Puerto Rican government that would serve for the next four years, most notably the Governor of Puerto Rico. A status referendum was held on the same date.

The gubernatorial elections were won by then-Senator Alejandro García Padilla from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), who defeated incumbent governor Luis Fortuño from the New Progressive Party (PNP) in a close election. This election marked the second time in more than 40 years that six parties participated in the election, the first time in more than 60 years that a status referendum was held on the same day as the general election, and the first time in Puerto Rico that absentee ballots were issued for those who were out of the country on the day of the election. As of 2023, this was the most recent time a member of the Popular Democratic Party won the governorship of Puerto Rico, and the last time a Republican did so.

In the elections for Resident Commissioner, incumbent Pedro Pierluisi of the PNP (who caucused with the Democratic Party and who was first elected in 2008, narrowly won reelection for a second term. Pierluisi defeated his closest opponent, Rafael Cox Alomar of the PPD by almost 1.3%.

## Candidates

Before the election year, the constitution of Puerto Rico provides for any qualified person to present their candidacy for a specific position. If two or more candidates from the same party present their candidacy for the same position, and they can't reach an agreement within the party, a primary election is held. This election is held within the inscribed members of each party, to select which of the candidates will represent the party in the general election.

Both of the main parties, the PNP and PPD, held primaries for several positions on March 18, 2012.

### New Progressive Party (PNP)

The primaries were held on March 18, 2012, to determine several candidates for the Senate, House of Representatives, and others.

### Popular Democratic Party (PPD)

The primaries were held on March 18, 2012, to determine several candidates for the Senate, House of Representatives, and others.

### New Progressive Party

Incumbent Governor of Puerto Rico, Luis Fortuño, announced his candidacy for reelection in October 2011. Former Secretary of Health, Iván González Cancel, challenged him to a primary, but the court ruled it out.

### Popular Democratic Party

Current senator Alejandro García Padilla, announced his candidacy in March 2011.

### Puerto Rican Independence Party

Former Electoral Commissioner Juan Dalmau Ramírez, announced his candidacy for the Puerto Rican Independence Party. In January 2012, he presented his campaign staff and government program.

### Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico

Rogelio Figueroa was the candidate for governor for the PPR party.

### Movimiento Unión Soberanista

The MUS had chosen Dr. Enrique Vázquez Quintana as candidate for governor. However, in August 2012, Vázquez Quintana withdrew from the candidacy. A week later, he was replaced by Attorney Arturo Hernández, who was formerly president of the Puerto Rico Bar Association. Hernández was already a candidate for the Senate of Puerto Rico.

### Working People's Party

Professor Rafael Bernabe was announced as the gubernatorial candidate for the PPT in June 2012.

### Resident Commissioner

The incumbent Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico Pedro Pierluisi, from the PNP, faced the following candidates for the position:

- Rafael Cox Alomar, Popular Democratic Party (PPD)

- Juan Mercado Nieves, Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP)

- Sadiasept Guillont Juarbe, Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party (PPR)

- María de Lourdes Guzmán, Movimiento Union Soberanista (MUS)

- Félix Córdova Iturregui, Working People's Party (PPT)

### Senate

#### At-large

The ballot featured seventeen (17) candidates from six different parties and one independent candidate (bold denotes incumbent candidates)

#### District

### House of Representatives

#### At-large

The ballot featured sixteen (16) candidates from six different parties and one independent candidate (bold denotes incumbent candidates)

## Campaign

The campaign of the main opposing party, the PPD, focused mostly on the problems of crime, unemployment, and high utility costs, attributing them to the failure of the incumbent governor, Luis Fortuño, from the PNP. The PNP, on the other hand, focused mostly on the lack of experience of the PPD candidate, Alejandro García Padilla.

The minority parties have directed their campaign at the inability of the main two parties to administer the country. The Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party (PPR) attacked the alleged classism and social inequality of the current government, while the Working People's Party (PPT) advocated for a government more attuned to the working class.

### Debates

There were two official debates celebrated with all gubernatorial candidates. The first one was held on September 11, 2012, under the title of "Vota o Quédate Calla'o" ("Vote or Keep your Mouth Shut"). It was transmitted by the television network of Sistema Universitario Ana G. Méndez. The second debate was held on October 25, 2012, under the title of "El Gran Debate". This debate was transmitted by Telemundo and had the best TV ratings for the night with 18.7 and a 27.3% share.

## Results

### Governor

In the morning of November 7, 2012, Fortuño conceded the election to Alejandro García Padilla, just as the last votes were being counted. The margin of victory was 0.7% (or 11,049 votes) which would make it the second closest election in the island in the last 20 years. The candidates of the minority parties all received less than the required 3% to remain registered. Notably, Rogelio Figueroa (from the PPR) received only 0.4% of the vote after receiving 3% in the 2008 general elections.

### Resident commissioner

The incumbent Pedro Pierluisi from the PNP defeated the candidate from the PPD, Rafael Cox Alomar. Pierluisi managed to be reelected, despite the fact that his ballot partner, Governor Fortuño, lost against the PPD candidate. This would be the second time in the last 10 years where the governor and the resident commissioner came from different parties. The first one was after the 2004 elections where PPD candidate Aníbal Acevedo Vilá narrowly won the election, while Fortuño (PNP) was elected resident commissioner.

### Senate

The PPD won a majority of seats in the Senate of Puerto Rico, with a total of 18 out of 27. The PNP won a total of 8 seats, while the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) won one seat. The PPD won the majority after two terms of being a minority. The election of a senator from the PIP also comes after one term with no senator seated. The PPD won six of the Puerto Rico Senatorial districts. The PNP won only two districts, despite winning all eight during the previous elections.

### House of Representatives

The PPD also won a majority of seats in the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, with a total of 28 out of 51. The PNP won a total of 23 seats. The other minority parties won no seats. Like with the Senate, the PPD won the majority after two terms of being a minority.

### Mayors

The PPD won a majority of the mayoralty races in the island, with a total of 46 out of 78 municipalities. The New Progressive Party (PNP) won a total of 31. One of the most notable races featured PPD candidate Carmen Yulín Cruz defeating incumbent Jorge Santini (PNP) for the mayoralty of the capital city of San Juan after 12 years in the seat.


Bnei Herzliya Basket