UN Secretary-General selection second straw poll

The International — United Nations Security Council held a second informal straw poll on August 21, 2026, to gauge support for candidates vying to succeed António Guterres as UN Secretary-General. Costa Rica's Rebeca Grynspan emerged as the front-runner after the first informal vote in July. Other candidates include Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Michelle Bachelet of Chile, María Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana, Olara Otunnu of Uganda, Macky Sall of Senegal, and Ivonne A-Baki of Ecuador. The straw poll is a non-binding mechanism used to narrow the field; candidates need at least nine votes from the 15 Security Council members and must avoid a veto from any of the five permanent members (France, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States). The eventual nominee is then confirmed by the UN General Assembly. The process is expected to take several weeks, with further straw polls possible. Analysts expect fluctuations in vote distribution and note that new candidates could emerge if a deadlock occurs.