We exploit a regression discontinuity design
to provide causal evidence of the relative age effect (RAE) on a
long-run adult age outcome: Political selection. We find strong evidence
of the RAE in politics in Finland. However, the effect is
heterogeneous: We find that male candidates born early in the calendar
year have a significantly higher probability of getting elected to the
parliament but no similar RAE applies to female candidates nor to
municipal elections. Moreover, this effect only takes place in the most
competitive parliamentary districts and is present only for some
parties. We also find that in all the groups where the RAE does not
exist, early-born candidates are under-represented suggesting attrition
of talent
in the candidate placement. Overall, our results show that seemingly
artificial cutoffs imposed by the government have persistent
consequences even on the selection to the highest positions of power
within a society.