Members of the UNSC
The Security Council has five permanent members with veto power and 10 others elected for two year terms, five each year. The five permanent members are the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China. The 10 elected members this year are Angola, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chile, Germany, Guinea, Mexico, Pakistan, Spain and Syria.

Council Presidency

The council presidency rotates each month according to the English alphabet. In March, Guinea’s U.N. ambassador, Mamady Traore, replaced Gunter Pleuger of Germany, the president for February.

What is needed to adopt a resolution?

A resolution needs a minimum of nine “yes”votes, one more than a majority, for adoption and no veto from the five permanent members. A “no” vote from any one of the five is tantamount to a veto.

How is a vote conducted?

The president of the council first asks who is in favor of the resolution. If fewer than nine members raise their hands, he says the draft resolution has failed.
If nine or more members raise their hands, the president asks who opposes the measure. Should any one of the five permanent members vote “no”, he will say the resolution has failed because of a negative vote by a permanent member.
If there are nine or more votes and no veto, the president will ask if there are abstentions.

The veto record

USSR/Russia: 120 vetoes. Only two vetoes since the collapse of the Soviet Union

US: 76 vetoes. Blocked 35 resolutions criticising Israel.

UK: 32 vetoes, 23 times with the US. All solo UK vetoes on Zimbabwe

France: 18 vetoes, 13 with the US and UK

China: 5 vetoes