International Institution Polity & Governance

How the UN Security Council is composed and votes

The Security Council has five permanent members: China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States.
It also has ten non-permanent members, elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms.
Procedural matters need nine affirmative votes.
All other matters need nine votes including the concurring votes of the permanent members, which is the basis of the veto.
A permanent member may abstain, and the resolution is still adopted if it gets nine favourable votes.

Permanent members: 5 Non-permanent members: 10 Term of non-permanent members: two years Votes needed: nine
Why it matters for exams: Council composition and the veto rule are staple questions on world institutions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
1 October 2026 Source: United Nations Security Council: Current Members Updated 2 October 2026