In recent years, Shigeki YOSHIMURA has been asserted on the grounds that there was no sharp rise in disasters/accidents at that time, and Gosanjo's illness (assumed to be diabetes) became significantly worse only after his abdication, and that this was intended for the expansion of sovereignty by having Imperial Prince Sanehito, who did not have Sekkan-ke as cognates, succeed to the throne, thereby preventing the return to Sekkan seiji; however, there was no intention to start insei, and consequently such a view has become accepted.
近年では吉村茂樹が、当時の災害異変が突出していないこと、後三条の病気（糖尿病と推定されている）が重篤化したのが退位後であることを理由として、摂関家を外戚に持たない実仁親王に皇位を継承させることによる王権の拡大を意図し、摂関政治への回帰を阻止したものであって院政の意図はなかったと主張し、通説化している。