The United Nations was established in 1945 and today includes nearly every recognized state, each of which has one vote in the General Assembly. The United Nations’ Security Council, charged with maintaining international peace and security, is comprised of five permanent members (the P5) – the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Russia – as well as ten non-permanent members, elected for two-year terms. The Security Council approves decisions based on an affirmative vote from at least nine of its fifteen members, however each of the five permanent members has ultimate veto power. The P5’s veto power is widely criticized as unfair and anachronistic. In the Cold War era, the P5 were the world’s only nuclear powers, and the veto both recognized their might and provided incentive for them to support the Security Council’s goals. Nuclear proliferation, however, means that the P5 no longer reflects today’s geopolitical realities. Opponents of the veto believe it is used to promote national agendas at the expense of international security. Alternatively, rather than abolish the veto, some commentators suggest that the veto should be extended to more countries – for example, Germany.