Germany Calls for Radical Overhaul of UN Security Council

(MENAFN) Berlin has issued a forceful appeal for comprehensive transformation of the United Nations Security Council, arguing the current structure fails to represent contemporary geopolitical dynamics.

Speaking Friday, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul emphasized the urgent need to modernize the powerful body's composition to match present-day international realities rather than post-World War II power arrangements.

"The Security Council must reflect the world of the 21st century and not that of the immediate post-war period after 1945. That's why we will work very hard to ensure that the Global South in particular is given a much stronger role there," Wadephul told a German press agency.

Berlin views comprehensive institutional restructuring as essential, the minister confirmed.

Germany Pledges Continued UN Commitment Despite US Retreat
Wadephul distinguished Germany's position from nations distancing themselves from UN frameworks, stating his government "will not withdraw as others have done"—an apparent reference to Washington's recent pullback from multiple UN organizations and its challenges to institutional authority.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz amplified reform demands last November during an EU-Africa summit held in Angola, where he endorsed proposals granting Africa two permanent Security Council positions.

Combined, European and African nations control over 40% of UN voting power, Merz noted, declaring: "Together we carry a lot of weight. But to achieve this (reform), Africa must also be better represented internationally, in line with the weight of this continent."

Berlin Seeks Non-Permanent Council Seat as Reform Push Intensifies
Germany will compete for a non-permanent Security Council position during June 2026 elections, targeting a two-year term spanning 2027-2028.

The Security Council comprises 15 of the UN's 193 member nations. Five World War II victors possessing nuclear capabilities hold permanent membership with veto authority: the US, China, Russia, Great Britain, and France.

The remaining 10 seats rotate among the other 188 member states on two-year cycles.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has similarly advocated for parallel UN institutional reforms over multiple year

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