Portugal and Austria become non-permanent members of the UN Security Council

• Portugal and Austria were elected as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council on June 3, 2026, in an election held by the UN General Assembly.

• Both nations will serve a two-year term on the Council, running from January 1, 2027, to December 31, 2028.

• The election took place at the UN headquarters in New York during the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.

• This membership grants both countries the opportunity to participate in decision-making processes regarding critical issues such as global peace, security, and international conflicts.

• The UN Security Council is one of the most important organs of the United Nations, with the primary objective of maintaining international peace and security.

• The Council comprises 15 members in total: five permanent and ten non-permanent members. Non-permanent members are elected by the UN General Assembly through a secret ballot and serve a two-year term.

• Seats on the Security Council are allocated based on regional groups to ensure balanced representation across all regions.

• In this instance, Portugal and Austria were elected to the two seats designated for the Western European and Other States Group (WEOG).

• In the voting, Portugal received 134 votes and Austria received 131. Meanwhile, Germany secured 104 votes but failed to garner the necessary support, thereby missing out on a seat on the Council.