Key facts
- Costa Rican diplomat Rebeca Grynspan is a frontrunner to become the first female UN Secretary-General.
- Grynspan, currently head of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), received 10 "encourage" votes in a UN Security Council straw poll.
- The current Secretary-General, António Guterres, completes his second term on December 31, 2026.
- The successor is expected to come from Latin America due to regional rotation.
- Carolyn Rodrigues-Burkett of Guyana is Grynspan's closest rival with nine "encourage" votes.
- The election process is expected to conclude in October.
Rebeca Grynspan, a Costa Rican diplomat and former vice-president, has emerged as a strong contender to become the first female Secretary-General of the United Nations. Her parents were refugees from the Holocaust, and she is currently the head of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
António Guterres will conclude his second term as UN Secretary-General on December 31, 2026. Following an informal regional rotation system, his successor is expected to be from Latin America. In a confidential first straw poll conducted by the UN Security Council, Grynspan received 10 "encourage" votes, four "no opinion" votes, and one "discourage" vote, placing her in a favorable position.
Carolyn Rodrigues-Burkett, Guyana's former UN envoy, is Grynspan's closest competitor, securing nine "encourage" votes, two "discourage" votes, and four "no opinion" votes. Grynspan is viewed by some as a continuity candidate, potentially with tacit support from Guterres. However, a significant number of "discourage" votes from permanent Security Council members like Russia, China, or the US could lead to a deadlock.
The election occurs at a time when the UN faces challenges to its legitimacy, including job cuts and a diminished role as a mediator. Grynspan, who would be the UN's first Jewish Secretary-General, has used her heritage to advocate for conflict resolution. UNCTAD, under her leadership, has documented the economic impact of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, estimating a loss of $212.2 billion for the Palestinian economy between 2000 and 2024. Gaza's GDP per capita has fallen to $161 per person annually.
Other candidates, such as Michelle Bachelet, the former president of Chile, face opposition, notably from the U.S. government due to her stance on China's human rights record. The Trump administration's suggestion of Fifa president Gianni Infantino for the role signals a potential divergence from mainstream UN support. The election requires a single recommendation from the Security Council, needing at least nine positive votes and no veto from a permanent member, which the General Assembly will then endorse.