Former Vice President of Costa Rica Rebecca Grynspan has emerged as the early frontrunner to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations, following the first informal poll conducted by the UN Security Council.
In the non-binding vote held by the 15-member council on Thursday, Grynspan received 10 “encouraging” votes, placing her ahead of former Guyanese Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, who received nine, and Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, head of the UN nuclear watchdog, who received seven, according to diplomats.
The candidates are seeking to succeed Portugal’s António Guterres, whose second five-year term ends at the end of the year.
The next UN chief will face the challenge of revitalizing an organization facing multiple global crises and declining public confidence, while also responding to growing calls for reform, including criticism over bureaucracy, costs, and overlapping responsibilities among UN agencies.
During the informal polls, which are expected to continue through several rounds, Security Council members vote by secret ballot on whether they “encourage,” “discourage,” or have “no opinion” regarding each candidate.
Diplomats said Grynspan received one “discouraging” vote and four “no opinion” responses. Rodrigues-Birkett received two “discouraging” votes and four “no opinion” responses, while Grossi received two “discouraging” votes and six “no opinion” responses.
The early rounds use identical ballots, allowing diplomats to measure overall support and opposition without revealing whether negative votes came from one of the five permanent Security Council members with veto power — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Their support is considered essential for any candidate’s success.
In later stages, permanent members use different-colored ballots that reveal whether a candidate has received a discouraging vote from one of the P5 countries.
Other candidates in the race include former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, former Ecuadorian Foreign Minister María Fernanda Espinosa, former Senegalese President Macky Sall, and Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu, who entered the race last week.
Bachelet received six encouraging votes, five discouraging votes, and four no-opinion votes. Sall received six encouraging votes, seven discouraging votes, and two no-opinion votes. Espinosa received five encouraging votes, two discouraging votes, and eight no-opinion votes, while Otunnu received two encouraging votes, five discouraging votes, and eight no-opinion votes.
The selection process will continue with further rounds of consultations before the Security Council recommends a candidate to the UN General Assembly for final approval.
