Introduction: The nature of political opposition in contemporary electoral democracies and autocracies

Abstract At the level of regime typologies, uncertain status and inherent weakness opposition mark defining features regimes beyond liberal democracy. However, even performance evolution latter tend to be shaped by oppositions regime’s approach dealing with them. This article offers a bird’s-eye view political in contemporary electoral democracies competitive autocracies. It focuses on patterns strategic choices behavior both governments oppositions. That endeavor forms part larger joint venture seeking give center stage those actors living shadows increasingly unscrupulous power-holders.