10/3/2026
When people refer to the "Big 5" in the United Nations, they usually mean the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, commonly called the P5. They are China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The term "Big 5" is an informal expression. The official term is permanent members of the Security Council.
The five countries received permanent seats when the UN Security Council was established under the UN Charter.
They have a special position within the Security Council because they hold permanent membership and possess the veto power.
The five permanent members are:
The Security Council has 15 members in total: five permanent members and ten non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms.
The Security Council has primary responsibility within the UN system for the maintenance of international peace and security.
It can consider international conflicts, security situations and threats to peace.
The Council may adopt resolutions and take other actions within the powers granted to it by the UN Charter.
The permanent members have a special voting power known as the veto.
For substantive Security Council decisions, the required affirmative votes include the concurring votes of the permanent members. A negative vote by any permanent member can therefore prevent adoption of a substantive draft resolution.
This is one of the most significant institutional differences between the P5 and the ten elected members.
It is more precise to say that the five countries have a special institutional position within the Security Council.
Calling them the "most powerful countries in the UN" would be an overly broad interpretation.
The General Assembly, for example, includes all 193 UN Member States, and each member state has one vote there.
The P5's distinctive role specifically concerns their permanent membership and veto power in the Security Council.
The current Security Council structure was established at the creation of the United Nations following the Second World War.
The permanent seats reflected the international political structure of that period.
The composition of the Security Council has been debated for decades, including proposals concerning representation of Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean and other regions.
The UN's Big 5, more formally called the P5, are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. They are the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and have veto power over substantive Council decisions.
UN Security Council – Current Members
United Nations – Security Council
Unchannel - 10/3/2026