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Failure to win seat on UN security council sparks German soul-searching

The Guardian World Thursday 04 June 2026, 13:05 UTC By Deborah Cole in Berlin 1 min read
Key Points

Criticism comes from across political spectrum after decision regarded as blow to Friedrich Merz’s governmentGermany’s unprecedented failure to win one of the rotating seats on the UN security council has sparked an intense round of soul searching in Berlin, and raised questions about its claims to international leadership under Friedrich Merz. The council vote on Wednesday, which elected Austria and Portugal to a two-year term along with Trinidad and Tobago and Zimbabwe, marked a blow to...

Criticism comes from across political spectrum after decision regarded as blow to Friedrich Merz’s government

Germany’s unprecedented failure to win one of the rotating seats on the UN security council has sparked an intense round of soul searching in Berlin, and raised questions about its claims to international leadership under Friedrich Merz.

The council vote on Wednesday, which elected Austria and Portugal to a two-year term along with Trinidad and Tobago and Zimbabwe, marked a blow to Merz’s struggling government, which has sought to position itself as a leading European voice on the world stage.

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UN (ORG) German (ORG) Friedrich Merz’s (PERSON) Berlin (LOCATION) Friedrich Merz (PERSON) Austria (LOCATION) Portugal (LOCATION) Trinidad (LOCATION) Tobago (LOCATION) Zimbabwe (LOCATION) Merz (PERSON) European (ORG)
Originally published by The Guardian World Read original →

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