Economist Rebecca Grynspan Leads Race to Become Next UN Secretary-General

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

Close behind in the poll was former Guyanese Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, who garnered nine votes in favor, two against, and four abstentions, a result described by diplomats as a surprise. Third place went to Rafael Grossi, the Argentine head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, with seven votes in favor, two against, and six abstentions. Other candidates include former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, former Senegalese President Macky Sall, former Ecuadorian Foreign Minister María Fernanda Espinosa, and Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu.

Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, emphasized that the next Secretary-General must combat institutional antisemitism within the UN system, stating, "The next Secretary-General must remember that the UN was established to serve all member states equally." Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Mike Walz, called for a leader who will revitalize and streamline the organization to better serve its international role.

The selection process is ongoing, with further secret straw polls planned. The five permanent Security Council members (the U.S., Russia, China, the U.K., and France) hold veto power, which will be revealed in later voting rounds using color-coded ballots. To secure the Council's recommendation, a candidate must receive at least nine votes with no vetoes. The final appointment requires approval by the UN General Assembly. Experts expect the process to continue through September and October, with additional candidates potentially entering the race.