Berlin suffers rare defeat in New York vote as Austria and Portugal secure coveted seats, raising questions over foreign policy and global standing.
Germany has failed to secure a non‑permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the first time since reunification, marking a significant diplomatic setback for Europe’s largest economy.
In a secret ballot at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, Germany received just 104 votes – well behind Portugal and Austria, which secured the two seats allocated to the Western European group for the 2027–2028 term.
The result breaks a pattern under which Berlin had reliably won a seat every eight years.
The defeat has triggered political recriminations at home. Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, both from the conservative CDU, have faced sharp criticism from opposition parties, with the Greens branding the outcome an “embarrassing defeat”.
