Former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan has taken a narrow lead in the latest informal Security Council poll as the United Nations searches for its next secretary-general. The fourth secret straw poll was conducted Tuesday among the council’s 15 members, according to sources familiar with the process.
Grynspan received 10 “encourage” votes, three “discourage” votes and two “no opinion” responses, according to the results reported by sources. Guyana’s UN Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Argentina’s Rafael Grossi each received eight “encourage” votes, with Rodrigues-Birkett receiving six “discourage” votes and Grossi seven.
The latest result does not determine who will become secretary-general. The straw polls are non-binding and are intended to gauge support among Security Council members as the field is gradually narrowed.
Seven candidates remain in the race after former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet withdrew earlier this month. The candidates include Grynspan, Rodrigues-Birkett, Grossi and former Senegalese President Macky Sall, among others. The United Nations’ official selection process lists Grynspan as Costa Rica’s nominee and Grossi as Argentina’s nominee.
The next secretary-general will succeed António Guterres, whose second five-year term ends on December 31. The incoming leader is expected to take office on January 1, 2027, amid conflicts, funding pressures and debates over the future role of the United Nations.
The selection process ultimately requires the Security Council to recommend a candidate to the 193-member General Assembly. Any of the five permanent Security Council members—the United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom—can block a candidate with a veto, meaning strong support in informal polls alone is not enough to secure the post.
Several more rounds of informal polling are expected before the council reaches a consensus. The final choice will also carry historical significance: no woman has served as UN secretary-general in the organization’s more than 80-year history, while four of the current seven candidates are women.
