Spain's Foreign Deputy Minister Idelfonso Castro (R), and Spain's Ambassador to the United Nations Roman Oyarzun, speak during the voting process for the UN Human Rights Council seats, at UN headquarters, in New York, USA on Oct. 16, 2017. EPA-EFE/Miguel Rajmil

Spain's Foreign Deputy Minister Idelfonso Castro (R), speaks during an interview with EFE, at UN headquarters, in New York, USA on Oct. 16, 2017. EPA-EFE/Miguel Rajmil

Spain was elected Monday to the 47-member UN Human Rights Council for the 2018-2020 term, garnering 180 votes among the General Assembly's 193 members.

Spain's candidacy was unchallenged and it will take a seat representing Western Europe and other nations along with Australia, which received 176 votes.

Earlier in the process, it appeared there would be a contested election since France had expectations of getting a seat on the Human Rights Council, but Paris opted to postpone its bid for a seat in July.

All Spain and Australia needed, therefore, was to get a majority of votes to be elected.

The two countries will replace Portugal and the Netherlands, which are completing their terms at the council with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on Jan. 1.

In addition to Spain, which was a council member in 2011-2013, and Australia, the other countries elected to three-year terms were Senegal, Angola, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nepal, Qatar, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Slovakia, Ukraine, Chile, Mexico and Peru.

The council was established in 2006 to replace the 60-year-old UN Human Rights Commission, which was seen by critics as biased and politicized.

The Human Rights Council, in turn, has been the target of critics, who, among other things, contend that countries accused of widespread human rights violations are among the body's members.