United Nations Security Council: Check the 5 Non-Permanent Members added to the UNSC in 2026

The United Nations General Assembly made history on June 3, 2026. Five countries were elected as new non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2027. One of them, Kyrgyzstan, will sit at the iconic horseshoe table for the very first time.

Let us explore the 5 countries selected for a 2-year term as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council in 2026.

List of 5 Countries selected for UN Security Council in June 2026

The UN General Assembly elected five countries to non-permanent seats on June 3, 2026. Each seat is tied to a geographic regional group. The five winners are:

1. Austria (Western European and Other States Group)
2. Portugal (Western European and Other States Group)
3. Kyrgyzstan (Asia-Pacific Group)
4. Trinidad and Tobago (Latin American and Caribbean Group)
5. Zimbabwe (African Group)

These countries will join the Council as non-permanent members from January 2027, filling the seats left by Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia.

How Each Country Won the Seat?

The election required a two-thirds majority of UN member states present and voting. With all 193 members voting, a minimum of 129 votes is needed.

Portugal received 134 votes and Austria received 131 votes in the first round, both comfortably crossing the threshold. Germany, which competed for the same Western European seats, received only 104 votes and was eliminated. It marked a notable defeat for Germany in its bid for a council seat.

Zimbabwe, standing as the sole candidate for the African Group seat, received 182 votes. Trinidad and Tobago received 181 votes for the Latin American and Caribbean seat.

The most competitive race was in the Asia-Pacific Group. Kyrgyzstan and the Philippines went head to head across four rounds of voting. Kyrgyzstan won the fourth and final round by 142 votes to 49, securing its historic win.

Kyrgyzstan Makes it to the UN Security Council for First Time

The biggest story of the June 3 election was Kyrgyzstan's victory. The Central Asian country has been a UN member since 1992 but had never before served on the Security Council.

After the result was announced, the Kyrgyz delegation celebrated with diplomatic well-wishers inside the General Assembly Hall for several minutes. Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubayev and Permanent Representative Aida Kasymalieva were both present for the occasion.

The Asia-Pacific competition was closely watched. Kyrgyzstan led the Philippines in the first ballot with 105 votes to 85, then steadily grew its support across three additional rounds. By the fourth round, Kyrgyzstan had secured a commanding win.

Meet the Four Other Elected Members

Austria

Austria gets selected to the UN Security Council for the fourth time. It has long been known for hosting major international organisations and plays an active role in UN multilateral diplomacy.

Portugal 

Portugal also got a seat for the fourth time. Portugal has been a consistent voice in European security affairs and was a strong candidate backed by the Western European group from the beginning of the race.

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago makes a return to the security council after 21 years. It earned its first seat in the year 1985-86. They represented the Latin American and Caribbean Group.

Zimbabwe 

Zimbabwe joins the other elected members for a position in the UN security council for the third time as a non-permanent member. It received 182 votes, one of the highest vote counts in the June 3 election.

Who Are the 15 Members of the UN Security Council?

The Security Council has 15 members in total of which 5 members are permanent and 10 members are non-permanent, and are elected for a 2 year term.

Permanent Members

The permanent members of the UN Security Council are: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Non-Permanent Members

There are 10 seats that are held by non-permanent members and they are elected for two-year terms. Half of these seats are replaced each year.

The five countries continuing their terms through the end of 2027 are Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia, and Liberia.

The five other countries which will be completing their terms on December 2026 are: Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia.

The Eastern European group seat was not up for election this year because Latvia holds it through 2027.

Why Does the UN Security Council Election Matter?

The UN Security Council is the most powerful body of the United Nations. It has the authority to make decisions that are legally binding on all member nations. The UN Security Council can impose sanctions on any country, deploy forces for peacekeeping missions, form international tribunals and also authorise the use of force to any country.

The June 2026 election is critical because of the existing geopolitical scenario. The council has had incidents of divisions internally due to conflict in Ukraine and Gaza. The non-permanent members can help in shaping negotiations, building coalitions and present the regional concerns to a global table. 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly stated that international institutions remain "stuck in the world as it was in 1945, not the world of today." African countries in particular have pushed for expanded permanent representation, arguing that a continent of 54 member states deserves a stronger voice in the Council's permanent structure.

A 2022 General Assembly mandate now requires the Assembly to meet every time a veto is cast in the Security Council, giving the wider membership a chance to examine and debate its use.

When do the new UN Security Council members take their seats?

The five newly elected countries, Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe, will assume their seats on January 1, 2027. Their terms will run through December 31, 2028.

How many votes are needed to win a UN Security Council seat?

A candidate must win the support of two-thirds of UN member states present and voting. If all 193 member states vote, the minimum required is 129 votes.

Is Kyrgyzstan new to the UN Security Council?

Yes. The June 3, 2026 election marks the first time Kyrgyzstan has been elected to the UN Security Council. Kyrgyzstan has been a UN member since 1992 but had not previously won a non-permanent seat.

Which countries are leaving the UN Security Council in 2027?

The five non-permanent member countries elected in 2025 i.e, Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia will be completing their terms on December 31, 2026 and hence they will be leaving the UN security council.

How many non-permanent members does the UN Security Council have?

The Security Council has 10 non-permanent members at any given time. Five new members are elected by the General Assembly each year to serve two-year terms.

Important Facts for Competitive Exams

The following are some of the important facts on the United Nations Security Council that will be immensely helpful for students preparing for various competitive exams like UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railways, State PCS, and other competitive exams.

1. 5 new countries i.e., Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe, were elected to the UN Security Council on June 3, 2026. 

2. Kyrgyzstan won a UN Security Council seat for the first time since becoming a UN member in 1992. 

3. The five new members will serve from January 1, 2027, to December 31, 2028.

4. A two-thirds majority (minimum 129 of 193 votes) is needed to win a non-permanent Security Council seat.

5. The UN Security Council consists of 5 permanent members i.e China, France, Russia, UK, USA and 10 non-permanent members who are elected for 2 year terms.

6. Germany, competing for a Western European seat, was eliminated with 104 votes which was below the required threshold.