Germany Fails UN Security Council Bid as Portugal and Austria Win Western Seats

Germany failed to win a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council on Wednesday after the UN General Assembly awarded the two Western European and Others Group spots to Portugal and Austria instead of Germany.

“Portugal and Austria were chosen by the General Assembly for the two European seats to be filled for the 2027-2028 term”

Actu.fr

In the secret ballots, Portugal received 134 votes and Austria received 131, while Germany received 104, leaving Berlin short of the two-thirds majority of 127 countries cited in the reporting.

Actu.fr

The vote also elected Zimbabwe with 182 votes and Trinidad and Tobago with 181 votes, and it set up Kyrgyzstan’s election for the Asia-Pacific seat after it defeated the Philippines with a margin of 142 to 49.

The UN Security Council is composed of 15 members, including five permanent veto-wielding states and 10 elected members for staggered two-year terms, and the new members are set to begin their terms on January 1, 2027.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul attributed the “bitter defeat” in part to Berlin’s steadfast support for Israel, which he suggested cost Germany key U.N. votes.

Wadephul also accused the Kremlin of agitating against Berlin for its “unwavering support” of Ukraine by maneuvering to block it from the U.N.’s most powerful body.

Anadolu Ajansı

In a statement after the vote, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, “We applied with conviction. We did not achieve our goal,” while adding that the result would not alter Germany’s tasks at the United Nations.

The reporting also quotes Wadephul saying, “It’s no secret that Russia doesn’t want such a voice at the Security Council table,” linking the loss to opposition from Russia.

The defeat is framed as a setback for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s goal of restoring Germany’s leadership role within Europe, with the vote described as likely to fuel domestic criticism of an “already-unpopular and politically weakened Merz.”

“Germany failed on Wednesday for the first time to secure a seat on the U”

Daily Sabah

The National reports that Germany’s loss was the first time it failed to gain a Security Council seat in seven bids, with the General Assembly electing Portugal and Austria for the 2027-2028 term.

Euronews adds that Germany had already served six terms and that the five elected countries will replace Pakistan, Somalia, Greece, Denmark, and Panama starting 1 January 2027.

In the same vote, the reporting says Kyrgyzstan’s victory over the Philippines marked the only contested race outside the Western European group, while Zimbabwe and Trinidad and Tobago were elected unopposed for their respective regional seats.