This study examines how The Moderates party’s strategic approach to the Sweden Democrats changed between 2014 and 2022. Drawing on Bonnie M. Meguid's theory of established parties strategic responses to niche parties, the study examines whether changes in The Moderates party migration policy ideas can be understood as expressions of different strategic responses to the Sweden Democrats electoral successes.

The study uses a qualitative ideational analysis of election manifestos from The Moderates party and the Sweden Democrats from the election years of 2014, 2018 and 2022. The analysis indicates that the Moderates migration policy ideas changed gradually during the period studied, moving from ideas that emphasized openness, international responsibility and migration as a societal resource to ideas that emphasize control, regulation and social order.

Furthermore, the results indicate that the similarities between The Moderates party and the Sweden Democrats in migration policy became more pronounced over time. In light of Meguid's theoretical framework, this development can be interpreted as an expression of an accommodative strategy, where an established party approaches the positions of a niche party. By analyzing long-term changes in migration policy ideas, the study contributes to research on party competition and established parties' reactions to the radical right.