What is the veto power of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council?

The five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—possess the power to block any "substantive" resolution or decision, regardless of the level of support from other council members.12

Key aspects of this veto power include:

• Substantive Matters: Decisions regarding substantive issues, such as the investigation of a dispute or the application of sanctions, require nine affirmative votes, which must include the concurring votes of all five permanent members.12
• The Veto Effect: If any one of the five permanent members casts a negative vote on a substantive matter, the resolution fails, even if it has achieved the required nine affirmative votes.12
• Procedural vs. Substantive: While procedural matters do not require the unanimous support of permanent members, a vote to determine whether a specific issue is procedural or substantive is itself considered a substantive question, meaning a permanent member can use their veto to classify a matter as substantive and subsequently block it.12
• Abstention: In practice, a permanent member may abstain from voting without preventing the adoption of a resolution.12