New york: Germany suffered a defeat in the election for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), securing just 104 votes and losing to Portugal and Austria in the Western European and Other Groups (WEOG) bloc votes. The German Foreign Minister blamed Russian lobbying efforts on other nations for the unsuccessful bid.
According to Thai News Agency, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voted to elect Austria, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, Zimbabwe, and Kyrgyzstan as new non-permanent members of the UNSC. They will serve two-year terms from January 1, 2027, to December 31, 2028. Within the WEOG, the competition was intense for the two vacant seats previously held by Denmark and Greece. Portugal secured 134 votes and Austria 131 votes, winning in the first round. Despite a strong campaign, Germany failed to win, securing only 104 votes, which was less than the two-thirds majority (127) required to win the seat. This marks Germany's first failure in this election in its history.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadfeul described the vote as a defeat, attributing Germany's loss to Russia's attempts to influence other member states to vote against Germany. This was seen as a consequence of Berlin's strong support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Wadfeul also acknowledged that Germany's pro-Israeli stance in the Middle East conflict has affected its public support, especially from developing countries in the Global South. Due to Germany's historical responsibility for the Holocaust, it has consistently maintained a defensive stance concerning Israel. This position has posed diplomatic challenges amidst the humanitarian crisis and the ongoing war in Gaza.
Germany entered the election campaign later than its rivals Portugal and Austria, which put it at a disadvantage in garnering support from the majority of UNGA member states. Analysts noted that Germany's reductions in humanitarian and foreign aid, along with a foreign policy that emphasized morality but lacked practical clarity, have weakened its credibility on the global stage. This has raised questions about the diplomatic influence of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government both regionally and internationally.
In other election results, Kyrgyzstan won the election over the Philippines in the Asia-Pacific group, replacing Pakistan. In the Africa and Latin America-Caribbean group, Zimbabwe was elected to replace Somalia, and Trinidad and Tobago was elected to replace Panama. These five new members will join the existing non-permanent members Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Latvia, and Liberia, along with the five permanent members with veto power: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, and Russia.