CCMUN Security Council Rules of Procedure

I. The Security Council shall consist of 15 member states, including five permanent and ten temporary seats, each member state being accorded one vote. (Please see Note below)

II. The Security Council shall be presided over by a president who will declare the opening and closing of each Security Council meeting, direct the discussion of the Council meetings, ensure the observance of these rules, accord the right to speak, put questions, and announce decisions.

III. The Council’s first order of business will be to set the agenda.

  • Motion to put topic X on agenda (second required, debatable)
  • Debate (2 speakers in favor, 2 opposed)
  • Motion to close debate (procedural vote)
  • Vote on original motion (procedural vote)

IV. The Council will then move to consideration of topic X

  • The Council shall move to open a speaker’s list or caucus, for the purpose of debate
  • Delegates shall raise their placards to be acknowledged
  • A motion for a speaker’s list requires a second, is debatable, and requires a simple majority vote
    • Upon adoption of a speakers list, a time limit can (and should) be set for speeches. A motion to limit the speaker’s time requires a second and is debatable.
  • A motion to caucus must be seconded and requires a simple majority vote. A time limit must be set for caucusing.
    • Caucusing can be either moderated or unmoderated. Unmoderated caucusing will involve members meeting in groups to discuss, while moderated caucusing will be presided over by the president. During moderated caucusing, members will raise their placards to be recognized and may then speak for the designated amount of time.

V. Passage of resolutions

  • Draft resolutions shall be introduced to the President who shall provide for their distribution to all members of the Council.
  • To be introduced a draft resolution must have the signatures of at least five members of the Council.
  • When the draft resolution has been distributed, the floor is opened for debate. One of the signatories may rise to introduce the draft resolution. The adoption of draft resolutions is a substantive question.

VI. Voting

  • Substantive Votes: Passage of substantive votes requires the affirmative votes of nine members of the Council, including the concurring vote (abstention or absence) of the five permanent members. Each of the five permanent members has veto power in substantive voting procedures. If any one of the five permanent members vetoes a resolution, the resolution fails.
  • Procedural Votes: Passage of procedural votes requires the affirmative votes of nine members of the Council.
  • Roll-Call Vote: The Council shall normally vote by a show of placards, but any delegate may request a roll call vote. The roll call vote shall be taken in the English alphabetical order of the names of the members. The name of each member shall be called. Votes shall be “yes,” “no,” or “abstain”. Requests for a roll call vote are not subject to vote, debate, or objection.

Note #1: This year the Security Council will include Germany, India, Republic of China (Taiwan), Republic of Korea, and Thailand as part of its deliberations. These additional countries that are not members of the Security Council may discuss, persuade, cajole, speak during both formal and informal sessions, and vote on procedural motions. However, non Security Council members cannot vote on the final resolutions being put to a vote. As always, additional countries that are not on the Security Council but are relevant to Security Council discussions may be called into the session to present their side of events and to answer questions asked by Security Council members.

Note #2: The Historical Security Council has a different set of countries in it than the Current Security Council. We are using the countries that were on the Security Council at that time. Please see the chart on the registration page.