Germany loses to Portugal and Austria in UN Security Council vote

Germany has failed for the first time to win a nonpermanent seat on the U.N. Security Council from the Western European group. In a vote by the U.N. General Assembly, Portugal won 134 votes, Austria 131, while Germany received only 104. Portugal and Austria will begin their two-year terms on Jan. 1, 2027. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Berlin's close ties to Israel, as well as its role in building support for Ukraine, may have hurt its backing. Christoph Heusgen, a foreign policy adviser during the Angela Merkel era, also cited accusations that Germany applies a double standard on human rights as a factor that worked against it.