To maintain power, governments must act beyond mere control; they need to alter the structural framework within which political competition occurs. Authoritarian leaders often modify constitutions, electoral processes, and institutional structures to create disadvantages for opposing parties. By doing so, they effectively skew the political landscape to favor themselves, disguising these changes as beneficial reforms meant to serve the public interest.

This strategic manipulation allows autocrats to solidify their grip on power, as such reforms often carry legal weight, making them difficult to reverse. The result is a prolonged entrenchment of their advantages, potentially lasting for many years. As outlined in Steven Levitsky's "How Democracies Die," these actions undermine democratic principles while giving autocrats the legal cover needed to suppress dissent.