political vacuum

political vacuum (plural political vacuums)

1. A state of relative anarchy compared to neighboring states, often caused by death of the head of state before a successor could be designated.
   • January 26 2005, The Washington Times

     Both directly and through their terrorist intermediaries in Lebanon, Iran's ayatollahs have been meddling in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for years. But the death of Yasser Arafat, and the political vacuum that has emerged in the wake of the Palestinian strongman's passing, have laid the groundwork for even greater Iranian infiltration of Palestinian politics.