De la extrema derecha al centro: adaptación partidaria en contextos de transición de régimen. Los casos chileno y español

Objective/context: This article analyzes the transformations of right-wing political parties linked to authoritarian regimes that underwent transitions to democratic regimes and consolidated themselves as key actors in their political systems. Methodology: Path dependence is used as an analytical tool to identify the chains of causally connected historical events that are crucial in establishing the behavioral patterns adopted by Spain’s Popular Party (PP) and Chile’s Independent Democratic Union (UDI). Conclusions: This study shows that both parties faced similar organizational and political dilemmas, which led them to adapt to the new rules of the democratic regime. Originality: From the standpoint of historical narrative and the identification of critical events, it examines how parties associated with authoritarian regimes adapt organizationally to preserve—and often strengthen—their existing ties with citizens, ultimately evolving into highly competitive parties under democracy.