UN Secretary-General António Guterres will step down on December 31, 2026, after completing his maximum of two five-year terms. The UN Security Council is actively running straw polls to vet candidates to succeed him. Photo credit: EPA

NNA News - The United Nations Security Council on Friday held its second informal straw poll to assess support for candidates seeking to become the next UN secretary-general. Denmark's UN Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen, whose country holds the Security Council's rotating presidency for August, confirmed that the second round had been completed. “The second round of straw polls has taken place,” Lassen said.

The vote was conducted behind closed doors, with the results not publicly disclosed. Lassen said the candidates would be informed of the outcome through the permanent representatives of the countries that nominated them. At the same time, the president of the UN General Assembly would also be notified that the poll had concluded.

The straw polls form part of the process through which the Security Council gauges support for candidates before eventually recommending one nominee to the General Assembly for appointment as secretary-general. Under Article 97 of the UN Charter, the General Assembly appoints the secretary-general following a recommendation from the Security Council. Unlike a formal vote, the straw poll is an informal mechanism intended to establish the level of support for each candidate. The results remain confidential and do not constitute a final selection.

Lassen did not disclose details of Friday's ballot. However, the eight candidates currently in the race are Ivonne A-Baki of Ecuador, former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet, former UN General Assembly president Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi of Argentina, UN Conference on Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, former UN under-secretary-general Olara Otunnu of Uganda, Guyana's UN ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett and former Senegalese president Macky Sall.

According to What's in Blue, which provides analysis of Security Council proceedings, members were believed to have received ballots listing each candidate alongside three possible assessments: “encouraged,” “discouraged,” and “no opinion expressed.” The second straw poll follows the first round of consultations as Security Council members continue assessing the field ahead of a recommendation to the General Assembly.

The selection process is taking place as the term of current UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres approaches its conclusion. His second term is scheduled to end on December 31. The eventual successor will take office at a time when the United Nations faces multiple international challenges, including armed conflicts, geopolitical tensions, humanitarian crises and pressure for reforms to the multilateral system.

For now, however, the Security Council has not indicated which candidate is leading the race, with the results of the latest straw poll remaining confidential.