puppet leader
Someone else's mouthpiece
A puppet leader is a head of state or government who holds nominal power while actually being controlled by an external force—typically a foreign government or occupying power.
The term emphasizes that the leader's authority is illusory, their strings pulled by others: The regime installed a puppet leader after the invasion.
The phrase carries strong connotations of illegitimacy and collaboration.
- figureheadNominal leader, no authority
- rulerOne who governs
- quislingTreasonous occupation collaborator
- stoogeEasily manipulated pawn
- yes manUncritical agreeable subordinate
man of straw · marionette · pulling the strings · proxy · satellite state · vassal · frontman · Vichy France · occupied territory · mouthpiece · sockpuppet · shadow government · nominal · dependency · ceremonial · colonial governors · token · rubber stamp
puppet leaderabsolute monarch
Ruler with total authority
autocrat · strongman · nationalist leader · supreme leader · free agent
puppet leaderpeople's choice
Majority-selected option
grassroots leader · revolutionary leader · indigenous leader · nationalist leader
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