Germany Loses UN Security Council Seat for First Time Since 1973 as Austria and Portugal Win Election

Jun 3, 2026

Germany lost its bid for a non-permanent UN Security Council seat for the first time since 1973, a significant diplomatic setback for Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Austria and Portugal won the two contested seats after a "cutthroat" campaign where Austria pitched its military neutrality as an advantage. Germany's loss is attributed to a late campaign start and its stances on Ukraine and the Middle East, with Russia reportedly lobbying against its bid.

UN Security Council seat election

▪The defeat marks the first time Germany has failed to secure a seat on the UN Security Council since it joined the organization in 1973.
▪In the UN General Assembly vote, Portugal received 134 votes, Austria 131, and Germany 104, failing to secure the required two-thirds majority.
▪Austria and Portugal won the election for two non-permanent UN Security Council seats for the Western European and Others group, defeating Germany.
▪The five new members elected on June 3, 2026, will serve two-year terms starting on January 1, 2027.

Austria-Germany diplomatic rivalry

▪An Austrian diplomat pitched their candidacy with the message to "Vote for us 'precisely because we’re not the Germans'".
▪The election featured a "cutthroat" and "fierce competition" between Germany and Austria, two countries normally considered close allies.

German lobbying campaign

▪German officials suggested that the country's support for Ukraine and Israel may have cost it votes from some UN member states.
▪Germany's campaign highlighted its role as the world's third-largest economy and one of the biggest financial contributors to the UN system.
▪German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul traveled to New York and met with about 80 ministers or ambassadors to lobby for Germany's candidacy.
▪Russia reportedly waged an intense lobbying campaign against Germany's bid for a UN Security Council seat.

Austrian neutrality advantage

▪Austria announced its bid for the 2027-2028 seat in 2011, while Germany officially entered the race in 2020, giving it less time to campaign.
▪Austrian diplomats argued that as a small, nonaligned, and militarily neutral country, Austria could play a special role on the Security Council.

Merz political stakes

▪The election defeat is considered a "humiliation" and a "painful diplomatic setback" for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
▪After the vote, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called the outcome "a real disappointment."
▪Chancellor Friedrich Merz had run for office on a promise to restore Germany's leadership role within Europe.