Global powers that themselves violate international law sit in Security Council: Guterres
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for urgent reform of the UN Security Council, citing paralysis caused by global powers that violate international law. He argued that the current structure fails to reflect modern geopolitical realities.
Why it matters
Guterres's comments highlight the deepening crisis of legitimacy and effectiveness within the world's primary body for maintaining international peace.
In a scathing commentary, UN chief António Guterres has said that global powers that themselves violate international law sit in the Security Council, as he asserted that reform of the 15-nation global body “must be an absolute priority”.
Secretary General Guterres also underscored the need for “redistribution of power.”
“Well, let's be clear. We have geopolitical divides, and in these geopolitical divides, we have powers that themselves violate international law and sit in the Security Council. And that has been paralysing the Security Council, as we know,” Mr. Guterres told reporters Wednesday (September 16, 2026).
“That is why the reform of the Security Council must be an absolute priority. It is unacceptable to have a Security Council with a composition that reflects the world of many decades ago instead of reflecting today's world."
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in