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 it joined in 1973 that Germany has lost such a vote.

The country lost contested seats to Austria and Portugal. Germany did not get the two-thirds majority needed from the General Assembly. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called this a “bitter defeat.”

Wadephul said the loss is due to rising anti-German feelings linked to Russia's actions. He believes Russia does not want Germany to have a seat because of its strong support for Ukraine in the ongoing war.

The UN held its yearly election for non-permanent members of the Security Council on Wednesday. This election decides which countries will help shape international peace and security alongside the five permanent members, China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US.

Every year, the assembly elects five countries through secret ballot for two-year terms on the 10 rotating seats of the 15-member Security Council. The seats are divided based on regions: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe. Candidates must secure a two-thirds majority to win.

Austria, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, Zimbabwe, and Kyrgyzstan were elected after four rounds of voting. These countries will serve as non-permanent members from 2027 to 2028.

Zimbabwe and Trinidad and Tobago were elected without opposition, filling their allocated regional seats. Kyrgyzstan also won a seat by beating the Philippines for the Central Asia and Asia-Pacific region.

Germany, a top UN contributor, received 104 votes. This was not enough, as Portugal got 134 votes and Austria got 131. This is the first time Germany has failed to secure a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

Before the election, Wadephul said Germany had a strong offer and was ready to take on responsibilities in peacekeeping and international security. He pointed out that Russia’s campaign to block pro-Ukrainian voices from the council was a key reason for Germany's loss.

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

He added that Russia’s attempts to turn sentiment against Germany are no secret. “We have always taken a clear stance on certain issues, and these are positions that not all member states share,” he said.

Wadephul also mentioned that Germany’s special responsibility towards Israel in the Middle East conflict may have affected their vote count. “Germany will continue to live up to its historical responsibility even if, at the time, we criticized specific policies of the government,” he added.

Meanwhile, Russia has not replied to claims that it worked against Germany’s bid for the council.