Does accommodation work? Mainstream party strategies and the success of radical right parties

Abstract This research note investigates how mainstream party strategies affect the success of radical right parties (RRPs). It is a widespread view that accommodation core issue positions would reduce right's success. Empirical evidence for this claim, however, remains inconclusive. Using level data as well micro-level voter transitions between and RRPs, we re-evaluate effectiveness accommodative also test whether they work contingent on specific conditions, e.g., newness challengers or existence cordon sanitaire. We do not find any support. If anything, our results suggest lead to more voters defecting right. Our findings have important implications study multi-party competition challenge what has become assumption literature: niche