A closely watched Security Council election delivered a mix of continuity and change on Wednesday, as Austria, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, Zimbabwe and first-time member Kyrgyzstan, secured seats around the iconic horseshoe table.

From deploying peacekeepers to conducting quiet but at times heated diplomacy, the UN Security Council sits at the heart of global decision-making on war and peace. As of January, five new countries will have a seat around the iconic horseshoe table.

Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia, and Liberia were elected on Tuesday to serve as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, with two-year terms beginning in January 2026.

A dramatic morning which saw multiple rounds of voting for the competitive seats, came amid widening geopolitical divisions and repeated deadlock within the UN body dedicated to resolving conflicts and preventing wars from erupting in the first place.

The five countries were elected by the 193-member General Assembly to serve as non-permanent members of theSecurity Councilfor two-year terms beginning on 1 January 2027.

AustriaandPortugalwon the two seats allocated to the Western European and other States (WEOG) Group, whileTrinidad and TobagoandZimbabwewere elected from the Latin American and Caribbean Group and the African Group respectively.

Kyrgyzstansecured the Asia-Pacific seat after defeating thePhilippinesin four rounds of voting.

Vote tally

Portugal and Austria prevailed in the first round, receiving 134 and 131 votes respectively comfortably above the required two-thirds majority.Germanyreceived 104 votes and was eliminated.

In the Latin American and Caribbean Group, Trinidad and Tobago secured 181 votes, whileGuyanareceived one vote despite not being a candidate. Zimbabwe, the sole candidate for the African Group seat, received 182 votes.

Kyrgyzstan makes history

The most competitive contest unfolded in the Asia-Pacific Group. Kyrgyzstan led the first ballot with 105 votes to the Philippines 85, before steadily increasing its support through three head-to-head rounds of voting, ultimately prevailing by 142 to 49 in the fourth round.

The election marks a historic milestone forKyrgyzstan, which will serve on theSecurity Councilfor the first timesince joining the United Nations in 1992.

Delegates from the Kyrgyz mission applauded and celebrated with other diplomatic well-wishers for several minutes following the result inside the gilded General Assembly Hall.

The other four newly elected members all haveprevious Council experience:Austria and Portugal have served three times each, Zimbabwe twice and Trinidad and Tobago once.

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

The delegation of Zimbabwe celebrate after being elected.

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

The delegation of Trinidad and Tobago celebrate after being elected.

Fifteen seats

The Council comprises15 members:five permanent members China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United Stateswith veto power and 10 non-permanent members elected for staggered two-year terms.

Seats are distributed amongregional groupsto ensure geographical representation.

The five countries elected on Wednesday will replace Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia when their terms conclude at the end of 2026.

Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia and Liberia will remain on the Council through the end of 2027, providing continuity in its work.

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

The delegation of Portugal celebrate after being elected.

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

The delegation of Austria celebrate after being elected.

Peace under pressure

The incoming members will take their seats at a moment when the Council faces some of its most difficult tests in years.

Its work has increasingly been shaped by geopolitical rivalries among major powers, particularly the five permanent members.

Deep divisions over conflicts including Ukraine and Gazahave led to stalemate, frustrating action, whilethe use of vetoes has at times prevented agreement on resolutionsaddressing major crises.

Growing calls for reform

The Council has also faced mounting calls for reform, with UN and world leaders arguing that its composition no longer reflects contemporary geopolitical realities.

Secretary-General Antnio Guterreshasrepeatedly warned that international institutions remain stuck in the world as it was in 1945, not the world of today,including theSecurity Councilitself.

African countries have been among the strongest advocatesfor change, arguing that a continent of 54 Member States remains underrepresented in the Council's permanent decision-making structures. Calls for expanded representation from developing countries overall have also grown louder.

The question of veto

The veto power which allows any permanent member to block Council action regardless of broader support has also come under increasing scrutiny.

Since 2022, a General Assembly mandate requires theAssembly to meet whenever a veto is castin the Security Council, giving the wider UN membership an opportunity to examine and debate its use.

While non-permanent members do not possess veto power, they can play an influential role in shaping negotiations, building coalitions and advancing issues of concern to their regions and the wider international community.

UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras

A wide view of the Security Council Chamber. (file photo)

What the Security Council does

Established under theUN Charter, the Security Councilbears primary responsibilityfor the maintenance of international peace and security.

Unlike General Assembly resolutions, which are generally non-binding, Security Councildecisionsadopted under the Charter can carry legal force for all UN Member States.

The Council has the authority to impose sanctions, authorize peacekeeping missions, establish international tribunals and, in exceptional circumstances, authorize the use of force.

Closed doors

Much of the Council's work takes place around its iconic horseshoe-shaped table in the Security Council Chamber at UN Headquarters, in New York.

While public meetings often attract global attention, many of the Councils most consequential discussions take place behind closed doors in consultations and negotiations among its members.