Berlin stumbles in the Security Council. Austria and Portugal snatch the European seat

Germany failed on Wednesday for the first time to secure a seat on the UN Security Council, with Portugal and Austria winning the majority of votes for the two seats reserved for Western Europe, which will begin to be represented in 2027.

The Security Council consists of 15 members, five permanent – the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain, and ten elected from among the rest of the world for a two-year term.

In a secret ballot held by the General Assembly to select the representatives of Europe, Portugal received 134 votes, Austria 131, and Germany, which had held a seat for six previous sessions, received 104 votes.

Germany, a member of the Group of Seven, is Europe's largest economy and is seen as the continent's political and security pillar. Why did Germany lose its seat on the Security Council? Extended reading in Background Failure

Why did Germany lose the race?

Germany's loss of a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council came as an unprecedented diplomatic slap to Berlin, not only because it was the first time it had failed in this UN entitlement, but also because it came despite its economic and political weight within Europe and its status as a member of the G7.

According to German diplomats and officials,  the defeat was not entirely surprising behind the scenes, but rather the result of the accumulation  of three key factors that redrew the map of the vote in the General Assembly.

The first factor, they argued, was Germany's unequivocal support for Israel during the Middle East conflict, a position that the German foreign minister himself admitted cost Berlin a lot of votes, especially in the Global South, which views this bias as a departure from the principle of balance that they expect from a country that aspires to represent the international community in the world's most important security body. This political tension was reflected directly at the ballot box, where many countries preferred to send political messages through abstention About Berlin's support.

The second factor was Germany's position on the Ukraine war, Berlin faced a counter-pressure campaign led by Moscow, aimed at convincing member states not to vote in favor of Germany because of its military and political support for Kyiv, this Russian move, which came in the context of an open geopolitical conflict, clearly affected countries that have close relations with Russia or those that take a neutral stance on the war.

While   Austria and Portugal started their campaigns early, Berlin launched its diplomatic move only late, giving its rivals more time to build alliances and rally votes within regional groups,  experts said.

What does the loss mean for Berlin?

This result represents a blow to Germany's prestige as a European diplomatic power, which has long considered itself a pivotal player in the formulation of international policy, and it also means that its influence within international security files will decline during 2027-2028, a sensitive period that may witness major shifts in the global order.

On the other hand, the result strengthens Austria and Portugal's position within the UN system, as they will have the opportunity to play a greater role in discussions related to international peace and security, and the loss is expected to open a broad debate about the reassessment of foreign policy, especially with regard to the Middle East files, the relationship with Russia, and the mechanisms for managing diplomatic campaigns within the United Nations.

Zimbabwe represents Africa

Zimbabwe won the Africa seat with 182 votes, but was the only candidate from the continent, while Trinidad and Tobago, which also faced no opposition, won the Latin American and Caribbean seat with 181 votes.

A second round of representatives from Asia will take place, with the Philippines and Kyrgyzstan vying for the seat reserved for the continent.

The five elected nations will replace Pakistan, Somalia, Greece, Denmark and Panama from January 1, 2027.

They will join the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Latvia, Colombia and Bahrain, the other five members elected for 2026 and 2027.