Bernie Sanders
U.S. Senator (Independent) from Vermont
Official U.S. Congress photo (public domain)
Position estimated from: Senate record and campaigns: democratic socialist, Medicare for All, anti-free-trade, skeptical of foreign wars.
Political compass placement
| Map dimension | Score (0–100) | Position | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Collective / planned ↔ Market | 27 | toward collective / planned | |
| Social Progressive ↔ Traditional | 19 | toward progressive | |
| Authority Libertarian ↔ Authoritarian | 28 | toward libertarian | |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 38 | near the center | |
| Foreign policy Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 28 | toward non-intervention |
All nine underlying dimensions
| Dimension | Score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Economic ownership Collective ownership ↔ Private ownership | 26 | toward collective ownership |
| Civil liberties Civil liberty ↔ State restrictions | 46 | near the center |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 38 | near the center |
| Social and cultural values Progressive ↔ Traditionalist | 22 | toward progressive |
| Political governance Democratic ↔ Autocratic | 10 | strongly toward democratic |
| Equality and hierarchy Egalitarian ↔ Hierarchical | 11 | strongly toward egalitarian |
| Economic management Free market ↔ State planning | 72 | toward state planning |
| Military intervention Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 28 | toward non-intervention |
| Religion and government Secular state ↔ Religious authority | 13 | strongly toward secular state |
These positions are estimates on the Atlas’s nine-dimension scale, produced by running the available evidence through the same questions and scoring used for test-takers. They are interpretations for comparison, not objective measurements. How scores are made.
Key positions
| Statement | Position | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| The government should be able to restrict how certain religions are practiced, such as their places of worship, clothing or schools. | Strongly disagrees | from their record |
| Abortion should be illegal in most or all cases. | Strongly disagrees | from their record |
| Reducing the gap between rich and poor should be a major government goal. | Strongly agrees | from their record |
| Foreign students should be deported for taking part in protests the government considers supportive of terrorism. | Strongly disagrees | from their record |
| Opposition parties should be free to compete in elections. | Strongly agrees | estimated |
| Central economic planning is preferable to decentralized market decisions. | Disagrees | from their record |
| Healthcare should be provided to everyone by the government and paid for through taxes. | Strongly agrees | from their record |
| Preserving a historic national majority is a legitimate immigration objective. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
| Military power should be used proactively when serious external threats are emerging. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
| During a pandemic, governments should be able to require masks in indoor public places. | Strongly agrees | from their record |
Recorded votes used
| Vote | How they voted | Counts toward |
|---|---|---|
| S. 9 (cloture), Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act Senate roll 100 (2025) | Nay | Transgender women should be able to compete in women’s sports. |
| S. 6 (cloture), Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act Senate roll 11 (2025) | Nay | Abortion should be illegal in most or all cases. |
| H.R. 1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act Senate roll 372 (2025) | Nay | Cutting taxes is generally better for the economy than increasing public spending. |
| H.R. 1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act Senate roll 372 (2025) | Nay | Welfare benefits should be kept limited so that people have strong incentives to work. |
| H.R. 4, Rescissions Act Senate roll 411 (2025) | Nay | Wealthy countries should give more aid to poorer countries. |
| H.J.Res. 88 (overturn California zero-emission-vehicle waiver) Senate roll 277 (2025) | Nay | The government should require a rapid shift away from fossil fuels, even at significant cost. |
| H.J.Res. 87 Senate roll 279 (2025) | Nay | The government should require a rapid shift away from fossil fuels, even at significant cost. |
| H.J.Res. 89 Senate roll 281 (2025) | Nay | The government should require a rapid shift away from fossil fuels, even at significant cost. |
| H.J.Res. 88 (overturn California zero-emission-vehicle waiver) Senate roll 277 (2025) | Nay | Environmental regulations on business should be reduced to boost economic growth. |
| H.J.Res. 87 Senate roll 279 (2025) | Nay | Environmental regulations on business should be reduced to boost economic growth. |
| H.J.Res. 89 Senate roll 281 (2025) | Nay | Environmental regulations on business should be reduced to boost economic growth. |
| H.J.Res. 35 (overturn EPA methane-emissions fee rule) Senate roll 97 (2025) | Nay | Environmental regulations on business should be reduced to boost economic growth. |
| S.J.Res. 28 (overturn CFPB rule on large payment apps) Senate roll 106 (2025) | Nay | Regulations on business should be minimized whenever possible. |
| S.J.Res. 18 (overturn CFPB overdraft-fee rule) Senate roll 153 (2025) | Nay | Regulations on business should be minimized whenever possible. |
| S.J.Res. 37 (end the emergency behind tariffs on Canada) Senate roll 160 (2025) | Yea | Tariffs can be justified to protect domestic industries. |
| S.J.Res. 49 (end the emergency behind worldwide tariffs) Senate roll 225 (2025) | Yea | Tariffs can be justified to protect domestic industries. |
| S.J.Res. 37 (end the emergency behind tariffs on Canada) Senate roll 160 (2025) | Yea | Trade policy should prioritize consumer choice over domestic industrial protection. |
| S.J.Res. 49 (end the emergency behind worldwide tariffs) Senate roll 225 (2025) | Yea | Trade policy should prioritize consumer choice over domestic industrial protection. |
Votes from the official House Clerk and Senate roll-call records. Shown for reference: this profile’s position is estimated from the sources below, not from these votes.
Closest ideologies
Democratic Socialism92% similar positionEurocommunism91% similar positionDemocratic Confederalism91% similar positionUtopian Socialism91% similar positionGreen Politics90% similar position
Similar and contrasting figures
Olof Palme94% similar · Historical and internationalSam Seder93% similar · CommentatorsCenk Uygur93% similar · CommentatorsKyle Kulinski93% similar · CommentatorsAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez93% similar · US politiciansAdolf HitlerContrasting: 35% similarFrancisco FrancoContrasting: 38% similarNick FuentesContrasting: 39% similar
Sources
- Wikipedia: Political positions of Bernie Sanders
- Wikipedia: Bernie Sanders (Wikipedia search)
- Congressional Biographical Directory
Profile last reviewed October 11, 2026.