The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is an international institution and one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), established to maintain international peace and security. It was created in 1945 following World War II to succeed the League of Nations, which had failed to prevent global conflict. The problem it solved was the need for a stronger, more effective body to promote collective security and prevent future world wars.
The UNSC's primary responsibility is outlined in Article 24(1) of the UN Charter, which states that member states confer on the Council the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. Its mechanism is defined by its composition of 15 members: five permanent members (P5) and ten non-permanent members. The P5 are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and each holds the power to veto any substantive resolution. The ten non-permanent members are elected by the UN General Assembly for two-year terms.
The Council's powers are detailed in Chapters VI and VII of the UN Charter. Under Chapter VI, the Council can recommend peaceful means for the settlement of disputes, such as negotiation or mediation. Crucially, Chapter VII empowers the Council to take more assertive actions, including imposing international sanctions or authorizing the use of force, if it determines the existence of a "threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression" under Article 39. Decisions made under Article 25 are binding on all UN member states, a unique power among UN organs.
The UNSC connects directly to the other principal organs of the UN, including the UN General Assembly and the International Court of Justice. The Council's structure has changed once since its formation: an amendment to the UN Charter in 1965 increased the number of non-permanent members from six to ten. While the number of permanent members has stayed the same, there are ongoing, significant calls for reform, particularly from the G4 nations (Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan), who seek expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories to better reflect the current global order.