The UN Security Council Held Its First Test Vote On Candidates For The Position Of Secretary-General
- 31.07.2026, 8:35
The results haven't been officially released, but some information has still leaked to the media.
The UN Security Council held its first informal test vote on the candidates for the position of the organization’s next secretary-general.
This was reported by The National.
What is known about the unofficial results
According to The National, Rebecca Greenspan of Costa Rica emerged as the frontrunner in the informal vote, receiving 10 “encouragement” votes. She was followed by Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Caroline Rodriguez-Birkett, with 9 votes, while IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi took third place with 7 votes.
Probe votes are an unofficial procedure during which Security Council members indicate whether they “support,” “do not support,” or have no opinion regarding a candidate. Such votes allow for an assessment of the level of support for the candidates, but their results are not officially disclosed.
How the Election Process Works
According to Article 97 of the UN Charter, the Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. During the trial ballots, the Security Council determines which candidate it will recommend to the General Assembly for approval.
Who is running for the position
Seven candidates are running for the position of UN Secretary-General:
Michelle Bachelet - former President of Chile, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights;
María Fernanda Espinosa - former President of the UN General Assembly, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense of Ecuador;
Rafael Mariano Grossi — Director General of the IAEA (Argentina);
Rebecca Greenspan – Secretary-General of UNCTAD, former Vice President of Costa Rica;
Olara Otunnu – former Deputy Secretary-General of the UN (Uganda);
Carolyn Rodriguez-Birkett – Permanent Representative of Guyana to the UN;
Macky Sall – former President of Senegal.
The successor to António Guterres, whose second five-year term expires on December 31, must take on the task of revitalizing the organization, writes The National.