Why Germany wants a seat at the UN Security Council

The convoy grinds through New York City traffic, sirens blaring, horns honking, New Yorkers complaining. In the end, Johann Wadephul, Germany's foreign minister, arrives at the United Nations with only a couple of minutes to spare.

Wadephul is in the heart of the 80-year-old institution, its most powerful body, the Security Council. His three-minute address is about maritime security, the damaging effects of the war in Iran and especially the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Speech delivered, Wadephul takes a seat at the famous horseshoe-shaped Security Council table. But someone quickly asks him to rather take a seat in the adjacent rows because Germany is not a member of the Security Council — at least not yet.

Why is Wadephul at the United Nations?

Wadephul's mission is to  is to get Germany back to that table for two years, from 2027 to 2028.

It wouldn't be a first. Germany (and the former West Germany) has been a non-permanent member of the Security Council six times and the former East Germany once. The permanent members are the US, China, Russia, France and the UK, all of whom have veto powers. 

In an exclusive interview with DW, Wadephul sounded a note of cautious optimism on Germany's chances.

"I would say the chances are good, but it's a competition, and it's democracy," he told DW. "So we can win. We can lose. Both are possible. We have good arguments. We engage in this world. We are engaged in the UN system."

How are non-permanent seats on the UN Security Council won?

Of the 10 non-permanent seats on the Security Council, five are up for grabs at an election in June. If Germany is to win one, it will need two-thirds of the 193 member votes in a secret ballot. 

The campaign is never really a straightforward affair. There are too many variables, alliances, and demands to make this an easy endeavor. This time it's even more complicated because Germany announced its candidacy relatively late. The Group of Western European and other States had already settled on Austria and Portugal by then, that means backing will have to come from elsewhere. 

Does Germany have support for a seat on the UN Security Council?

Wadephul appears to be pinning his hopes on African nations, the largest voting bloc with 54 countries in the UN.  There were several bilateral talks planned for the 29-hour visit to New York, but possibly the most important appointment for the Security Council bid is the minister's visit to the African Union's representation. 

Here, Wadephul reminds his hosts of Germany's role as one of the world's most generous donors. But when asked to sum up his message, the emphasis is not on money.

"The slogan is, I would say, take a country which has experience and which has the interest to have more understanding for other countries and for other continents," he told DW.

Another factor that may help when votes are cast in June: Germany's support for the African Union's demand for two permanent seats on the Security Council. That could or could not come as part of far-reaching reform plans at the UN. In any case, the vibe among some of the AU countries representatives is that Germany's campaign will end up in success. 

Is the United Nations still relevant?

There is one question which needs answering, though: at a time when the law of the jungle seems to be winning, is all this diplomacy worth the effort?  

"Of course, we are under stress” Wadephul conceded. "The UN system is under stress, [but] I think diplomacy still is very important for this world to prohibit the [law of the jungle] to win the race."

That's not a sentiment you hear much these days. But with numerous wars raging from Ukraine to Sudan, and of course the Middle East, many at the UN are hoping that the post-WWII rules-based order epitomized at the UN does indeed recover. 

And what's clear is that Germany is quietly pitching to be one of the standard bearers of that possible comeback — ideally with a seat at the Security Council.

Edited by: Matthew Moore