Security Council conducts second straw poll for UN Secretary-General succession
The field has expanded to eight contenders as the council gauges support ahead of the formal selection process for the role currently held by António Guterres.
The United Nations Security Council has convened for a second informal straw poll to assess the standing of eight candidates seeking to succeed Secretary-General António Guterres, whose second five-year term concludes on 31 December 2026. The vote, conducted in secret by the council’s 15 members, including the five permanent members with veto power, serves to gauge institutional support ahead of the formal selection process.
The candidate pool has grown since the first informal vote held last month, which identified Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica as the front-runner. Ivonne A-Baki of Ecuador entered the race following the conclusion of that initial round, joining Grynspan, Rafael Mariano Grossi of Argentina, Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana, Macky Sall of Senegal, and Olara Otunnu of Uganda.
Grynspan, who leads the UN trade and development body UNCTAD, took leave from her duties to campaign for the top post. She previously brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative in 2022. Grossi, the current head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has not stepped down from his role, describing a departure as a "dereliction of duty" while navigating the nuclear programmes of Iran and Ukraine.
Political alignments have shifted significantly among the contenders. Chile withdrew its support for former President Michelle Bachelet following the election of President Jose Antonio Kast, though she retains backing from Mexico and Brazil. Meanwhile, Senegal changed its position in July to back former President Macky Sall, who is currently chairing the African Union. Ecuador did not back Maria Fernanda Espinosa, a former foreign minister and previous president of the UN General Assembly.
The selection process requires a candidate to secure nine affirmative votes from the Security Council without attracting a veto from any of the five permanent members. Once selected, the council submits the name to the UN General Assembly for final approval.
Other candidates include Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana’s ambassador to the UN, and Olara Otunnu, a former UN under-secretary general for children and armed conflict. A-Baki, nominated by Tonga, has highlighted her diplomatic experience in the Gulf and her role in brokering dialogue between Ecuador and Peru.
