Political parties weaponize conversion bills to outmaneuver each other.

Evidence

Two recent bills introduced in parliament, the Prohibitions of Forcible Conversions to Religions Bill (proposed by the JHU) and the Protection of Religious Freedom (also known as the Anti-Conversion Bill or Government Bill and ardently supported by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka), demonstrate clearly that the issue of conversion is being used by political parties to outmaneuver each other, but the vast majority of Buddhists on the island appear to support such legislation. — Neil DeVotta, Sinhalese Buddhist Nationalist Ideology, 255

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the broader manufactured-threat thesis: elites instrumentalize an enemy issue for political competition, echoing how threat-hardened nationalist beliefs serve elite interests (reading purpose). — connects to: Outbidding parties poach defectors from moderate rivals to consolidate in-group unity. — Cathy Gormley-Heenan and Roger Macginty, Ethnic Outbidding and Party…, 54; Outbidding and party modernization mutually reinforce each other rather than conflict — Cathy Gormley-Heenan and Roger Macginty, Ethnic Outbidding and Party…, 95; Parties can wield elections as outbidding instruments against peace processes — Cathy Gormley-Heenan and Roger Macginty, Ethnic Outbidding and Party…, 55 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Outbidding parties poach defectors from moderate rivals to consolidate in-group unity. #expands (0.85) — Cathy Gormley-Heenan and Roger Macginty, Ethnic Outbidding and Party…, 54
• Outbidding and party modernization mutually reinforce each other rather than conflict #expands (0.78) — Cathy Gormley-Heenan and Roger Macginty, Ethnic Outbidding and Party…, 95
• Parties can wield elections as outbidding instruments against peace processes #expands (0.75) — Cathy Gormley-Heenan and Roger Macginty, Ethnic Outbidding and Party…, 55
• Parties function as deposit banks converting public rage into political capital #corroborates (0.72) — Anton Jäger, Hyperpolitics, 176
• Parties historically convert diffuse rage into organized political capital through formalization #corroborates (0.72) — Anton Jäger, Hyperpolitics, 176