UN Security Council to hold first poll in race to replace Guterres when he steps down this year

The UN Security Council will hold an initial straw poll on Thursday to assess support for seven candidates vying to replace António Guterres as UN secretary-general. Candidates include Rafael Grossi, Michelle Bachelet, Rebeca Grynspan, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Macky Sall, and Olara Otunnu. The process is expected to continue through summer, with no clear front-runner.

The United Nations Security Council will hold an initial round of informal closed-door straw poll ballots on Thursday to assess support for the seven candidates currently vying to become the next UN secretary-general. The candidates, from Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guyana, Senegal, and Uganda, are seeking to replace António Guterres of Portugal when he steps down at the end of this year after two five-year terms. Guterres' successor faces the task of revitalizing an organization in crisis and declining stature that is under increasing pressure to reform a bloated, costly bureaucracy and cut duplication across its many agencies. Straw polls are informal, non-binding votes conducted among the Security Council's 15 members. They are asked whether they 'encourage,' 'discourage,' or have 'no opinion' on each candidate. The ballots are secret, and only Council members are present during the exercise. There is no clear front-runner and historical precedent suggests multiple rounds of polling could continue through the summer and conclude in late September or early October. The current candidates are Argentina's Rafael Grossi, head of the UN nuclear watchdog; former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet; former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan; former Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa; former Guyanese Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett; former Senegalese President Macky Sall; and Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu, who entered the race last week. In the early rounds, identical ballots are cast, allowing diplomats to see overall levels of support without revealing negative votes from permanent members. At a later stage, P5 members use a different color ballot. The Security Council ultimately adopts a resolution recommending an appointment to the General Assembly, needing nine votes and no vetoes. The current Security Council president, Zenon Mukongo Ngay of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, confirmed the first round on Thursday morning. Otunnu will be included despite not having taken part in informal hearings. The article also notes Guterres' recent visit to Syria, where he recognized the Golan Heights as part of Syria.