Austria and Portugal to join UN Security Council, replacing Denmark and Greece

Austria and Portugal will join the United Nations Security Council in 2027, replacing Denmark and Greece. The UN General Assembly elected the two European nations for two-year terms starting January 1, 2027. Zimbabwe and Trinidad and Tobago were also elected to the council.

The Security Council has 15 members, including five permanent members: Britain, the United States, France, China, and Russia. The remaining ten members are non-permanent, elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms. The election process considers equitable geographical representation.

This year, one seat was allocated to the African Group, one to the Latin American and Caribbean Group, one to the Asia-Pacific Group, and two to the Western European and Others Group. Portugal and Austria secured the two Western European seats. Germany had also sought one of these seats but did not receive enough votes.

Zimbabwe will replace Somalia from the African Group, and Trinidad and Tobago will take over Panama's seat in the Security Council. There were no other candidates for the African or Latin American and Caribbean seats. The Asian seat is still undecided, with the Philippines and Kyrgyzstan vying for the position currently held by Pakistan.