Rebecca Greenspan Leads UN Secretary-General Race as First Jewish Woman Candidate

A preliminary straw poll within the UN Security Council has positioned Rebecca Greenspan, former Vice President of Costa Rica and daughter of Holocaust survivors, as the leading candidate to succeed António Guterres as UN Secretary-General. Greenspan received 10 votes in favor, one against, and four abstentions from the 15 Security Council members. If elected, she would be the first woman and first person of Jewish descent to hold the position in the UN's 80-year history.

Close behind Greenspan is Caroline Rodriguez-Birkett, former Foreign Minister of Guyana, who garnered nine votes in favor, two against, and four abstentions, a result described by diplomats as a surprise. Rafael Grossi, the Argentine head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, ranked third with seven votes in favor. Other candidates include former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, former Senegalese President Macky Sall, former Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa, and Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu.

Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, emphasized the importance of the next Secretary-General addressing institutional antisemitism within the UN system. Meanwhile, US Ambassador to the UN, Mike Walz, called for a Secretary-General who would revitalize the organization, making it leaner and more relevant internationally.

The selection process involves multiple confidential straw polls, with the five permanent Security Council members (US, Russia, China, UK, France) holding veto power. Candidates must secure at least nine votes and no vetoes to be recommended to the UN General Assembly. The process is expected to continue through September and October, with potential new candidates joining the race.