Germany has suffered its first-ever defeat in a vote for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council (the body's 15-member panel responsible for international peace and security), securing only 104 of 191 votes in the UN General Assembly, with Portugal and Austria winning the two available seats in the Western European group. Analysts and politicians have attributed the loss to a credibility deficit built up over several years, citing Germany's arms supplies to Israel during the Gaza conflict, its cuts to foreign development aid, and its reluctance to clearly condemn US actions — such as the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro — as violations of international law. The defeat, described by critics as a foreseeable consequence of Berlin prioritising short-term strategic alliances over international law and Global South relationships, has sparked debate within Germany about whether the country should increase rather than cut its UN engagement and development spending.