Key facts
- Grynspan received 12 votes in favor and three against on the 15-member council, people close to the process said.
- The ballot was her strongest showing in eight closed-door ballots held in recent months.
- The race is to become the 10th UN secretary-general, replacing Antonio Guterres.
An informal poll by the United Nations Security Council on November 5, 2026 showed former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan extending her lead as frontrunner in the race to become the 10th UN secretary-general, people close to the process told Reuters.
Grynspan received 12 votes in favor and three against on the 15-member council, her strongest showing in eight closed-door ballots conducted in recent months to replace Antonio Guterres as he finishes his second five-year term.
The report did not say how the council's five permanent members voted, and the ballot was not coded to show it.