Germany misses out on UN Security Council seat for the first time

Germany lost its bid for a seat on the UN Security Council on Wednesday. This is the first time since 1973 that Germany has lost this kind of vote.

The country lost the contested seats to Austria and Portugal. They failed to get enough votes from the General Assembly. Germany’s Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, called it a “bitter defeat.”

Wadephul said the loss is linked to rising anti-German feelings due to Russia’s actions. He claimed Russia does not want Germany to have a seat on the Security Council because of its strong support for Ukraine.

The UN held its yearly election for non-permanent members on Wednesday. This election decides which countries will join the five permanent members. The permanent members are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. They help make decisions on international peace and security.

Every year, the assembly elects five countries by secret ballot for two-year terms on the 10 rotating seats. These seats are divided among different regions: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe. Candidates need to get a two-thirds majority of votes to win.

Austria, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, Zimbabwe, and Kyrgyzstan won the election after four rounds of voting. These five will serve as non-permanent members for the 2027-2028 term.

Zimbabwe and Trinidad and Tobago were elected without any competition. They secured seats that were already set aside for their regions.

Kyrgyzstan also won a seat after beating the Philippines for the Central Asia and Asia-Pacific region.

Germany, which is one of the biggest contributors to the UN, lost in the election. They received 104 votes, which was fewer than Portugal’s 134 and Austria’s 131. This marks the first time Germany has not secured a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

Before the election, Wadephul mentioned that Germany had a strong offer and was ready to take on responsibilities for peacekeeping and international security. He believes that Russia's efforts to block pro-Ukrainian voices on the council played a big role in their loss.

“There is our firm support for Ukraine, the fact that Russia does not want such a voice at the Security Council,” Wadephul said, according to the BBC.

Wadephul noted that Russia’s campaign to influence opinions against Germany is not hidden.

“We have always taken a clear stance on certain issues, and these are positions that not all member states share,” he explained.

He also pointed out that Germany’s special responsibility for Israel in the Middle East conflict might have cost them some votes.

He added, “Germany will continue to live up to its historical responsibility even if, at the time, we criticised specific policies of the government.”

Russia has not yet replied to claims that it worked against Germany’s membership in the council.