Democratic coups must seem constitutional

Successful intra‑party ousters require a balance of ruthlessness and procedural legitimacy: challengers must act forcefully enough to appear decisive while preserving a veneer of constitutional process so the wider party and electorate accept the change. Timing (too early, too late), optics of the challenger, and the incumbent’s interpersonal management (who they meet, how they answer) determine whether a plot collapses or succeeds. — This frames leadership contests as exercises in narrative optics and institutional legitimacy with direct consequences for party cohesion and electoral fortunes.