Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica led the UN Security Council's first confidential straw poll to choose a successor to António Guterres. Grynspan, current UNCTAD secretary‑general and a former Costa Rican vice‑president, topped a field of seven candidates, with Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett and Rafael Grossi trailing. The Council will hold further rounds; a recommended candidate needs at least nine votes and no veto before the General Assembly formally appoints the new secretary‑general.
Rebeca Grynspan Tops Early UN Security Council Straw Poll to Replace António Guterres
FILE PHOTO - (L-R) Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, Rafael Mariano Grossi of Argentina, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana and Macky Sall of Senegal attend the opening of a Bloomberg-hosted event featuring all six candidates for the post of United Nations Secretary-General at UN Headquarters. (is associated with: «Sources: Costa Rica's Grynspan leads early UN chief straw poll») Bianca Otero/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica emerged as the frontrunner in the United Nations Security Council's first confidential straw poll to select a successor to Secretary‑General António Guterres, diplomatic sources said.
Straw Poll Results and Leading Candidates
According to informed diplomats, Grynspan — currently secretary‑general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and a former vice‑president of Costa Rica (1994–1998) — finished first in the secret vote among seven nominees. Guyana's UN ambassador in New York, Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett, placed second, followed by IAEA director general Rafael Grossi.
Process and Next Steps
The Security Council's 15 members cast votes in the informal straw poll, which is intended to winnow the field and test candidates' support. The results of these informal polls are confidential and not formally published. Zénon Mukongo Ngay, the DRC's UN ambassador and July council president, said a date for a second round of voting will be announced in the coming days.
To be recommended to the General Assembly, a candidate must win the backing of at least nine Security Council members and avoid a veto from any of the five permanent members. If the Council forwards a name, the UN General Assembly then formally appoints the secretary‑general — a step generally treated as procedural.
Context
US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz told reporters he expects the Security Council to reach a decision in the coming months. António Guterres is due to step down at the end of the year after serving two terms, prompting this succession process.
Other nominees in the current field include former Senegalese president Macky Sall; former UN General Assembly president María Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador; former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet; and Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu. Further nominations remain possible as the informal consultations continue.
Note: Straw polls are non‑binding and intended to gauge support; alliances and voting patterns can shift in subsequent rounds.
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