Laws are passed through proper parliamentary procedures. Courts issue written opinions. Appeals are available. Yet the substantive effect is to entrench ruling-party power beyond electoral reach.
: Note how undemocratic intent is often buried under technical legal codes, making it difficult for the public or international observers to recognize the danger early on. III. The Autocratic Playbook (Typical Script) Winning Power : Secure a free and fair election victory. Capturing Institutions
A core tactic within autocratic legalism is the creation of what Scheppele coins a Just as Victor Frankenstein assembled a monster using perfectly normal, healthy human body parts, autocratic legalists build an illiberal regime by borrowing discrete legal provisions from respected, functioning liberal democracies.