The Citadel Council

"Ah yes, "The Reapers". We have dismissed that claim"

- Councilor Sparatus dismisses the existence of the Reapers

The Citadel Council are the ruling body governing the Citadel and by extension all Citadel Space. There is a representative for the three "core" Citadel Races, the Asari, the Turians, and the Salarians.

Though they make Commander Shepard a spectre and are fair enough to them in the first game (except for Councilor Sparatus) they become progressively more antagonistic in the sequels, not only refusing to help Commander Shepard but also outright opposing and stonewalling their efforts and even turning them into a scapegoat. Their refusal to help becomes all the more egregious when one remembers how Commander Shepard earlier sacrified thousands of human lives to save their own and yet do nothing to repay this debt.

Their names are Tevros (Asari), Valern (Salarian), and Sparatus (Turian)

Mass Effect 1
The Citadel Council when first encountered dismiss Commander Shepard's accusations that Saren Arterius is a traitor on the grounds that there is not sufficient evidence. However, after Shepard presents proof that Saren has not only gone rogue but is in league with Matriarch Benezia, the Council agrees to turn Shepard into a Spectre to go after him. Though typically fair and reasonable, the Turian member of the trio, Councilor Sparatus, goes out of his way to criticize and condemn Shepard at every turn, regardless of what decisions Shepard makes.

In the climax of the first game, the Council's ship The Destiny Ascension comes under attack from the Reaper Sovereign and Commander Shepard must choose whether or not to save them. Paragon players will choose to save the Council at the cost of human lives. Recognizing the sacrifice, the Citadel Council immediately bestows upon humanity a Council Seat and Shepard can reccomend either David Anderson or Udina for the post. The Council vows to never forget humanity's sacrifice.

Betraying Shepard and Humanity
Unfortunately despite the above the Council later goes back on their promise, refusing to help Shepard after the commander's return and also denying the existence of the Reaper threat, instead passing the attack by Sovereign off as an isolated incident and effectively wasting all the time Shepard bought them to prepare for the Reaper's invasion. Though the Council does agree to re-instate Shepard's Spectre status, it is clear that their motive behind this is to rid themselves of the commander, who they now view as a trouble-maker and rabble-rouser, having completely forgotten Shepard's efforts to save their lives not two years earlier.

The Council become even more villainous and selfish in the third game when the Reapers at last arrive. Though Shepard has now been proven to have been telling the truth all along, the Council still refuses to help Shepard and instead elect to allow the Reapers to wipe out the humans on Earth while they spend time looking out for themselves. The only Council member who does not completely agree with this incredibly selfish and treacherous move is ironically Sparatus, who tells Shepard how they might win the Turian's allegiance. Tevros and Valern however, refuse to help the species that sacrificed thousands to save their own lives, until Cerberus attacks the Citadel with the intent of killing them. After Shepard saves their lives a second time, the Council at last recognize their error and how they should have listened to Shepard all along and agree to help humanity, sending reinforcements to Earth. Though their exact fates after this are not known, they likely died later when the Reapers seized control of the Citadel.