UN Security Council holds second straw poll in race to choose next secretary-general

The United Nations Security Council is meeting on Friday for a second informal straw poll to test support for candidates seeking to succeed Antonio Guterres as secretary-general. The vote comes as the UN prepares for a leadership transition at the end of 2026, when Guterres completes his second five-year term. Eight candidates are in the race, and the contest is taking place against a backdrop of divisions within the organisation.

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The council's 15 members, including the five permanent members with veto power, are expected to cast their views in secret. The process is designed to narrow the field before the council recommends one name to the General Assembly for formal approval. Even if a candidate secures the nine votes needed on the council, that person must still avoid a veto from any of the permanent members.

Costa Rica's Rebeca Grynspan was described as the front-runner after the first informal vote last month. She currently leads the UN trade and development body and has taken leave from that role to campaign for the top post. The report also names Argentina's Rafael Mariano Grossi, Chile's Michelle Bachelet, Ecuador's Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Guyana's Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Uganda's Olara Otunnu and Senegal's Macky Sall among the contenders.

Ecuador's Ivonne A-Baki entered the race after the first round. The selection matters because the secretary-general is the public face and chief administrator of the UN at a time of strained relations among major powers and deep disagreement inside the organisation. The next leader will inherit a body facing pressure over conflict, diplomacy and the credibility of multilateral institutions.

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The contest also highlights the influence of the Security Council's permanent members, whose veto power can shape the outcome even when a candidate has broad support. Grynspan's campaign has drawn attention because of her diplomatic record and her current UN role. She was credited in 2022 with helping broker the Black Sea Grain Initiative between Moscow and Kyiv, which allowed grain exports after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The article also notes that she has spoken about the UN as a "risk-conservative organisation" and has presented her personal background as part of her appeal. Other candidates bring different political and institutional experience to the race. Bachelet, a former president of Chile and former UN human rights chief, is described as a figure who has at times unsettled some governments, including China, because of her reporting on alleged abuses.

The field also includes former ministers, diplomats and senior international officials, underlining the broad regional competition for a post that is traditionally shaped by both merit and geopolitical bargaining. What remains unclear is whether Friday's straw poll will produce a clear front-runner or simply confirm the contest remains open. The council has not said when it may move from informal testing to a formal recommendation, and the possibility of a veto remains central to the process.

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