The United Nations General Assembly is expected to elect five new non-permanent members of the Security Council for the 2027–2028 term on Wednesday, 3 June 2026. The secret ballot is scheduled for 10:00 am at UN Headquarters in New York.
The election will cover five of the ten elected seats on the 15-member Council, whose non-permanent members serve two-year terms. The seats are allocated based on an established regional distribution system: one seat for the African Group, one for the Asia-Pacific Group, one for the Latin American and Caribbean Group, and two for the Western European and Others Group.
The candidacies submitted to the member states are Zimbabwe for the African Group (to replace Somalia), Kyrgyzstan and the Philippines for the Asia-Pacific Group seat (to replace Pakistan), Trinidad and Tobago for the Latin American and Caribbean Group seat (to replace Panama), and Austria, Germany, and Portugal for the two seats allocated to the Western European and Others Group (to replace Greece and Denmark).
While Zimbabwe and Trinidad and Tobago are running unopposed, the races in the Asia-Pacific and Western European groups are competitive. Kyrgyzstan and the Philippines are vying for the single Asia-Pacific seat, while Austria, Germany, and Portugal are competing for the two Western European seats.
Even in uncontested elections, candidate countries must secure a two-thirds majority of the member states present and voting in the General Assembly.
The vote comes during a period of heightened pressure due to a series of major crises on the Security Council agenda, including Iran, Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and other conflicts. The newly elected members will take office on January 1, 2027, at a time when discussions are expected to continue regarding UN reform, the role of elected members, and the Council’s ability to respond effectively to threats against international peace and security.
Austria has framed its candidacy around “partnership, dialogue and trust,” emphasizing crisis management, climate and security, and the role of Vienna as a diplomatic hub.
Germany—which has faced criticism for announcing its candidacy in recent months and making the election competitive for the Western European group—has presented its priorities under the pillars of “respect, justice and peace,” noting its long-standing involvement with the United Nations.
Portugal is promoting its candidacy around three core priorities—prevention, cooperation, and protection—while expressing its commitment to multilateralism, the UN Charter, international law, and strengthening peacekeeping efforts.
In the Asia-Pacific race, the Philippines has highlighted priorities including maritime security, the peaceful resolution of disputes, the UN Charter, international law, as well as the Women, Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security agendas. Kyrgyzstan, which has never served on the Security Council, has presented its candidacy as an effort to boost the representation of small and landlocked states in maintaining international peace and security, and as part of building its international presence as it navigates only its fourth decade as an independent state.
Zimbabwe has described its candidacy as an opportunity to contribute to international peace and security, while Trinidad and Tobago is seeking to represent the Latin American and Caribbean Group on the Council.
The new members elected on 3 June will replace Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia, whose terms expire on 31 December 2026.
