The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word POPULISM
P
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "appealing strategy" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case appealing strategy = populism.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does POPULISM mean?
POPULISM noun- A political doctrine or philosophy that proposes that the rights and powers of ordinary people are exploited by a privileged elite, and supports their struggle to overcome this.
- The practice of appealing to the interests of the common people.