UNITED NATIONS — Portugal and Austria defeated Germany for seats on the powerful but deeply divided United Nations Security Council on Wednesday in a hotly contested race after intense campaigning.
The 10 rotating seats on the 15-member Security Council are earmarked for different regions of the world. The assembly elects five countries by secret ballot every year to serve two-year terms alongside the council’s five permanent veto-wielding members — the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.
In the other contested race, after four rounds of voting in the 193-member General Assembly, Kyrgyzstan defeated the Philippines by a vote of 143 to 49 and will join the council for the first time.
Zimbabwe, the African candidate, and Caribbean candidate Trinidad and Tobago had no opponents, and both were elected with more than 180 votes.
The Security Council is mandated under the U.N. Charter with ensuring international peace and security, but it has failed in the three major current conflicts because of the veto power of Russia on Ukraine and of the United States, Israel’s closest ally, often on Gaza and on Iran.
There have been decades of efforts to reform the Security Council to reflect the geopolitical realities of the current world, not of the post-World War II era 80 years ago, when the United Nations was established. But they have all failed, though a new attempt is underway.
In the race for the two seats for the group of mainly Western nations, Portugal received 134 votes and Austria 131 votes, while Germany, Europe’s economic powerhouse which had served six previous terms on the council, received 104 votes.
“Obviously, the result is a real disappointment,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told reporters. He said Russia campaigned against Germany because of its strong support for Ukraine. “It also may have cost us votes that Germany must always assume a special responsibility for Israel with regard to the Middle East conflict,” he said.
Austria’s Foreign Ministry said its election capped a 15-year campaign and is a “strong international sign of confidence” in the country.
Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubayev told reporters that “we understand now is a turbulent time” and said his nation will work together with other council members.
The five new members will take up their seats Jan. 1. They will replace Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia.
Lederer writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Stephanie Liechtenstein in Vienna contributed to this report.
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