UN Security Council Veto Power

Veto power is the ability of any one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, to prevent the adoption of a non-procedural decision by casting a negative vote. It arises from the special voting rule in Article 27 of the UN Charter rather than from a separately named power in the Charter.

Voting rule under Article 27

Each of the Security Council's 15 members has one vote, but the voting requirement differs between procedural and non-procedural matters.

• A procedural decision requires at least nine affirmative votes; the concurrence of permanent members is not required.
• A decision on any other matter requires at least nine affirmative votes and no negative vote by a permanent member.
• A negative vote by even one permanent member defeats a non-procedural draft resolution, regardless of the support of the other members.
• A permanent member's abstention is not treated as a veto; the proposal can still be adopted if it receives at least nine affirmative votes.

Scope and effect of the veto

The veto applies to substantive or non-procedural Security Council decisions, including many decisions concerning international peace and security.

• It can block measures such as sanctions, authorization of force, peacekeeping mandates and other substantive Council decisions.
• It also applies where the Council must make recommendations, including recommendations on admission of new UN members and appointment of the Secretary-General.
• A veto prevents the particular draft decision from being adopted; it does not by itself resolve the underlying dispute.
• Under Article 27, a member that is a party to a dispute must abstain from voting on decisions under Chapter VI and Article 52(3) of the Charter.

Purpose and institutional implications

The veto embodies the principle of great-power unanimity built into the post-Second World War collective-security system. It was intended to retain the participation of the major powers and avoid Council enforcement action against a permanent member without its consent.

• The veto gives permanent members greater authority than elected members despite the formal rule of one vote per member.
• It can prevent action when permanent members disagree, thereby limiting the Council's ability to respond collectively.
• Its supporters view it as a safeguard against direct confrontation among major powers, while critics regard it as unequal and a source of institutional paralysis.

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