Meaning of power vacuum | Babel Free

Definitions

A lack of centralised political authority, especially following a conflict, revolution, change of power, etc.

Equivalents

Examples

“Fourth, knowing what I did of the policies and actions of Moscow and Peking, I was as sure as a man could be that if we did not live⟳ up to our commitment in Southeast Asia and elsewhere, they would move⟳ to exploit the disarray in the United States and in the alliances of the Free World. They might move⟳ independently or they might move⟳ together. But move⟳ they would — whether through nuclear blackmail, through subversion, with regular armed forces, or in some other manner. As nearly as one can be certain of anything, I knew they could not resist⟳ the opportunity to expand⟳ their control⟳ into the vacuum of power we would leave⟳ behind us.”

“A few hours before the attack, Yuval Diskin, the head of the Israeli security agency the Shin Bet⟳, had told a parliamentary committee that there was a "power vacuum" in East Jerusalem and he also called for the demolition of the homes of people involved in terrorist attacks.”

“the old order⟳ had irretrievably vanished like⟳ breath off a razor blade, and there was a good old-fashioned power vacuum or, as we used to say⟳ in factional meetings, a “situation of dual power.””

“As Mr. Henry’s government’s already tenuous hold⟳ on the country has largely evaporated during the unrest, other factions have⟳ attempted to fill⟳ the power vacuum.”

“The assassination of Charlie Kirk also left a power vacuum on the right that has set⟳ off a scramble among its more extreme elements.”

CEFR level