United Nations Security Council veto power

The United Nations Security Council "power of veto" refers to the veto power wielded solely by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, and United States), enabling them to prevent the adoption of any "substantive" resolution. Abstention or absence from the vote by a permanent member does not prevent a draft resolution from being adopted. However, the veto power does not apply to "procedural" votes, as determined by the permanent members themselves. The permanent members can vote against a "procedural" draft resolution without blocking its adoption by the Council. A negative vote by a permanent member will also block the selection of a Secretary-General, although this is a "recommendation" to the General Assembly rather than a Resolution.

This de facto control over the UN Council by the five governments has been seen by critics as the most undemocratic character of the UN. Critics also claim that veto power is the main cause for international inaction on war crimes and crimes against humanity. However, the United States refused to join the United Nations unless it was given a veto. The absence of the United States from the League of Nations contributed to its ineffectiveness.

The idea of states having a veto over the actions of international organizations was not new in 1945. From the foundation of the League of Nations in 1920, each member of the League Council, whether permanent or non-permanent, had a veto on any non-procedural issue. From 1920 there were 4 permanent and 4 non-permanent members, but by 1936 the number of non-permanent members had increased to 11. Thus there were in effect 15 vetoes. This was one of several defects of the League that made action on many issues impossible.

The UN Charter provision for unanimity among the Permanent Members of the Security Council (the veto) was the result of extensive discussion, including at Dumbarton Oaks (August–October 1944) and Yalta (February 1945). The evidence is that the UK, US, USSR, and France all favoured the principle of unanimity, and that they were motivated in this not only by a belief in the desirability of the major powers acting together, but also by a concern to protect their own sovereign rights and national interest. Truman, who became President of the US in April 1945, went so far as to write in his memoirs: "All our experts, civil and military, favored it, and without such a veto no arrangement would have passed the Senate."

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