UN to Elect New Secretary-General

The United Nations (UN) has begun the process of selecting a new Secretary-General, as António Guterres' second term comes to an end. The UN Security Council, with the participation of 15 member countries, held its first informal and secret vote. The new Secretary-General will take office on January 1, 2027. Names such as Michelle Bachelet, Rafael Grossi, Rebeca Grynspan, María Fernanda Espinosa, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, and Macky Sall are among the prominent candidates for the new Secretary-General position. The UN Security Council conducts straw polls, informal votes, to measure the level of support for the candidates. A candidate must receive at least 9 positive votes and no veto from any of the 5 permanent member countries to move forward.