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Abstain




In the United States Congress and many other legislatures, members may vote "present" rather than for or against a bill or resolution, which has the effect of an abstention. In the United Nations Security Council , representatives of the five countries holding a Veto power (including the United States , United Kingdom , France , Russia and the People's Republic Of China ) sometimes abstain rather than vetoing a measure about which they are less than enthusiastic, particularly if the measure otherwise has broad support.

In the United Nations General Assembly and its committees, if a majority of those present abstain, a resolution is counted as having failed.