Question

Which statement is the best description of ‘Veto Power’ ?

• A. It is a power of positive voting.
• B. After the end of the Second World War, Veto Power is given only to permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to establish peace in the world.
• C. All the temporary members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) have the right to use Veto Power only for two years.
• D. All the members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) possess Veto Power.

Hint:

Veto Power is exclusive to the P5 nations (USA, UK, Russia, France, China). A single negative vote by any one of the P5 stops any substantive UNSC resolution from passing, making it a negative voting power.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is responsible for maintaining international peace and security. It consists of 15 members: 5 permanent members (P5) and 10 non-permanent (temporary) members elected for two-year terms. Under Article 27 of the UN Charter, decisions on substantive matters require an affirmative vote from 9 members, including the concurring votes of all five permanent members. The power of a permanent member to cast a negative vote and single-handedly block the passage of a resolution—regardless of how many other member states support it—is called the 'Veto Power'.

Step 1: Evaluating Option (A).
Option (A) states that veto power is a power of positive voting. This is incorrect because Veto Power is essentially a power of negative voting. A permanent member exercises its veto by casting a negative vote to defeat or nullify a substantive decision or draft resolution.

Step 2: Evaluating Option (B).
Option (B) states that after the end of the Second World War, Veto Power was given only to the five permanent members of the UNSC (United States, Russia/USSR, United Kingdom, France, and China) to maintain global stability and establish peace in the post-WWII international order. This accurately describes the nature, historic context, and purpose of Veto Power.

Step 3: Evaluating Options (C) and (D).
Option (C) states that temporary members have Veto Power for two years. This is incorrect because non-permanent (temporary) members never possess Veto Power. Option (D) states that all members of UNSC possess Veto Power. This is incorrect because only the 5 permanent members hold Veto Power; the 10 temporary members do not.