Seven Candidates Compete to Succeed UN Chief António Guterres

Seven Candidates Compete to Succeed UN Chief António Guterres
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Seven candidates are competing to become the next United Nations Secretary-General after António Guterres, whose second term ends in 2026.

In the first informal Security Council poll, Costa Rican diplomat Rebeca Grynspan emerged as the early leader with 10 “encourage” votes, followed by former Guyanese Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett with nine and IAEA chief Rafael Grossi with seven.

Other candidates include former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, Ecuadorian diplomat María Fernanda Espinosa, former Senegalese President Macky Sall and Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu.

Four women are among the candidates, and if one is selected, she would become the first woman to lead the UN since its founding 80 years ago. The Security Council will hold another informal poll on August 21 before making its recommendation to the UN General Assembly.

Guterres will leave office at the end of 2026 after two terms, with his successor beginning a five-year term on January 1, 2027.