The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held its first straw poll to determine the successor to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term expires on December 31, 2026.
UNSC President and Democratic Republic of the Congo's Permanent Representative to the UN, Zenon Mukongo Ngay, announced after the vote that the results would not be made public. Ngay said, "The thinking behind this is to keep everything confidential. At the same time, we want transparency and efficiency; we do not want speculation about it."
Noting that the council presidency ends tomorrow, Ngay added that the next straw poll will be held during Denmark's presidency.
Seven candidates in the race
So far, seven individuals have put forward their candidacy for the post of UN Secretary-General. The candidates are:
- International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi
- Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet
- Former President of Senegal Macky Sall
- Rebeca Grynspan, who is on leave from her post as Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development
- Maria Fernanda Espinosa, who served as President of the UN General Assembly from 2018 to 2019
- Guyana's Permanent Representative to the UN, Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett
- Olara Otunnu, who served as Uganda's Permanent Representative to the UN in the 1980s
In closed sessions of the 15-member UNSC, a candidate who receives at least nine "yes" votes and is not vetoed by the permanent members—the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France—will be submitted to the UN General Assembly for approval. In line with long-standing practice, the Council is expected to agree on a single candidate to recommend to the General Assembly.
It may take time for Council members to reach consensus on a single candidate. The new Secretary-General is expected to be determined as early as September or as late as December. The candidate who secures majority approval in the 193-member General Assembly will take office on January 1, 2027.
The term of Portuguese national Antonio Guterres, who has served two terms as UN Secretary-General since 2016, expires on December 31.
Ridvan Sezer | Editor-in-Chief
