I would also like to have option to certain panels to always open links as new tab.
For example, I made a Side Panel of Vivaldi Search, and would like to open search results as new Tabs. Also, I have been testing to browse Twitter from a side panel, open threads in new tabs. I really like it. It makes browsing of Twitter a lot more organized.
I can use Shift-MMB Click, or a gesture. But often when I'm in "lazy mode" I don't have my hand on the keyboard. And I don't like that much opening links with gestures, I find it somewhat slow and inaccurate. ( maybe I should play more FPS)
If links were always opened to new tabs, it would prevent accidentally open them in the panel, and messing up your set-up.