Guyana’s Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett emerged as the leading candidate in the United Nations Security Council’s second non-binding straw poll for the next secretary-general, receiving eight “encourage” votes, three “discourage” votes and four members offering no opinion.
She narrowly led Costa Rican diplomat Rebeca Grynspan and International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi, who each received seven “encourage” votes. The poll does not select the next UN chief; it is intended to measure support before a formal recommendation is sent to the UN General Assembly.
What the second poll showed
Grynspan had led the field in the first round of balloting in July. In the second round, Grossi received six “discourage” votes, while Grynspan received four.
The other declared candidates are former Senegalese President Macky Sall; former UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador; former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet; Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu; and Ecuadorian diplomat Ivonne A-Baki.
How the selection process works
The secret straw polls are conducted among the Security Council’s 15 members and can continue through several rounds as the field is gradually narrowed. In later rounds, permanent members use a different colour ballot to show whether one of them has voted to discourage a candidate.
A formal Security Council vote requires at least nine votes for a candidate to advance. Any of the five permanent members—the United States, China, France, Russia or the United Kingdom—can veto a nominee. The Security Council’s recommendation is typically ratified by the General Assembly as a formality.
When the change is due
Current Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has held the post since 2017, and his second five-year term ends on December 31. There is no formal limit on the number of terms a secretary-general may serve, although no secretary-general has served more than two terms.
The next UN secretary-general will take on the role as the organisation faces concerns about its standing and its ability to prevent or end conflicts and crises, according to critics cited in the source material.
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