Australia had secured sufficient votes to win its seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council even before France withdrew, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says.
France's withdrawal from the three-way contest leaves Australia and Spain to fill the two seats open to Western Europe and other states, from 2018.
Ms Bishop said Australia had secured a significant number of votes, both in writing and through verbal confirmation, before France pulled out.
"It was my assessment and the assessment of other experts that Australia had sufficient votes to secure a place on the Human Rights Council," Ms Bishop told reporters in Melbourne on Friday.
"France obviously assessed its chances and withdrew from the competition so there's now Spain and Australia to fill the two vacant positions but there is still a vote and that will take place in October of this year."
