We review some recent progress in the theory of electroweak radiative corrections in semileptonic decay processes. The resurrection of the so-called Sirlins representation based on current algebra relations permits a clear separation between the perturbatively-calculable and incalculable pieces in the $mathcal{O}(G_Falpha)$ radiative corrections. The latter are expressed as compact hadronic matrix elements that allow systematic non-perturbative analysis such as dispersion relation and lattice QCD. This brings substantial improvements to the precision of the electroweak radiative corrections in semileptonic decays of pion, kaon, free neutron and $J^P=0^+$ nuclei that are important theory inputs in precision tests of the Standard Model. Unresolved issues and future prospects are discussed.
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