Germany Seeks UN Security Council Seat
"We knew from the outset that this would be a tough competition, as we are up against two other strong candidates from Europe," Wadephul told a public broadcaster ahead of the vote.
"Austria and Portugal are very close allies, which makes campaigning against them not entirely easy for us. But I remain confident that we will be able to secure the required number of votes," he said.
The UN General Assembly is set to vote later Wednesday on two available seats within the "Western European and Others" regional group for the 2027-2028 term, with any successful candidate required to secure a two-thirds majority of votes cast.
Diplomatic observers anticipate a neck-and-neck contest. Germany's candidacy is underpinned by its considerable clout within the EU, a longstanding commitment to multilateralism, and its standing as one of the UN's largest financial contributors to international aid and development.
Yet the bid carries vulnerabilities. Berlin's near-unconditional support for Israel — and its perceived reluctance to adopt a firmer stance despite documented war crimes in Gaza — has emerged as a potential liability capable of alienating crucial votes among member states. Critics have further accused Germany of applying double standards, pointing to its hesitation to explicitly condemn US actions in Venezuela or US-Israeli strikes on Iran as violations of international law.
Wadephul pushed back firmly against those charges, arguing that Germany does not overlook breaches of international law and would be a principled defender of the rules-based order if elected.
"It is true that we must not apply double standards; we must uphold the same principles," Wadephul told Deutschlandfunk. "Regarding the question of violations of international humanitarian law in the Gaza Strip, we have indeed spoken out."
He pointed to Berlin's decision last August to temporarily halt arms exports to Israel that could be deployed in Gaza as concrete evidence of that commitment. "We have also taken a very strong measure by temporarily suspending deliveries of military goods to Israel. So, it is not the case that we are turning a blind eye to this," he said.
Wadephul pledged that a German seat on the Security Council would be used to champion international law and reinforce the UN's role as a cornerstone of global peace and stability.
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