Power Plays in the United Nations: A Qualitative Study Exploring Member States' Positions on the Veto Power through Multilateralism and National Interests

Abstract

This qualitative study examines the attitudes and positions of United Nations Member States towards the veto power in the UN Security Council (UNSC). Through a content analysis of official meeting notes from UN General Assembly plenary meetings, it examines how Member States discuss and perceive the veto power, particularly in relation to and through the lens of multilateralism and national interests. The empirical material, retrieved from the United Nations Digital Library, consists of meetings that took place after the adaptation of resolution 76/262, also known as the veto initiative. The statements studied are from meetings held after a veto has been cast by any of the five Permanent (P5) Members of the UN Security Council as well as the initial debate from when the resolution on the veto initiative was adopted. The analysis reveals nuanced perspectives on the veto power and sheds light on the dynamics of power relations within the UN. Using a qualitative approach rooted in theoretical frameworks on multilateralism, national interests, and power dynamics, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the complexity of attitudes and positions towards the veto in the UN.