Conventional wisdom suggests that Social Democratic parties heavily shape welfare state policies. However, this view overlooks voter preferences potentially inflating perceived partisan effects.

This paper examines a unique case study in Norway. In 1995, the Labour Party (Ap) missed participating in municipal elections due to administrative errors despite being dominant for decades.

Using a synthetic control method with Norwegian data, we analyze what happened next when Ap representation was absent locally.

📍 Methodology & Findings

• Employed Synthetic Control Method comparing Flå municipality against other municipalities without Labour list presence

• Investigated welfare spending priorities during the period following the missed election (1995-2005)

• Quantified small and statistically insignificant partisan effects on specific welfare policies

🔍 Why This Matters

The findings suggest that long-term welfare state outcomes may be less sensitive to particular party representation than previously thought. Voter preferences appear more influential in shaping actual policy outputs.