UN Security Council to hold seventh straw poll for next secretary general

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Who decides the next leader of the UN?

Results could give insight into who might lead world body after Antonio Guterres steps down

The National

October 30, 2026

The UN Security Council will hold its seventh straw poll on Friday, as the race to become the next secretary general continues.

The poll is unofficial and anonymous, but it gives insight into how council members view each of the candidates.

In the last round, council members cast colour-coded ballots, distinguishing the votes of the five permanent members – Britain, China, France, Russia and the US – from those of the 10 elected members.

Secretary General Antonio Guterres will step down from his role at the end of the year. When he was chosen for the post in October 2016, it took six straw polls for the council to reach agreement.

This time around, it's a crowded slate. Eight people have been put forward for the role: Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett; Argentina’s Rafael Grossi; Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan; Senegal's Macky Sall; Ecuador's Ivonne Baki; Chile's Michelle Bachelet; Ecuador's Maria Fernanda Espinosa; and Uganda's Olara Otunnu. The UAE's Lana Nusseibeh entered the race last week after no consensus was reached.

Ms Grynspan came out ahead of other candidates in previous polls, but her victory is far from assured.

The selection carries particular significance this year. In its 81-year history, the UN has never been led by a woman, and several women are among the candidates seeking the post.

The role of UN secretary general is a heavy undertaking, with the holder acting as the chief administrative officer and representative of the UN. Beyond general budgeting and planning responsibilities, the secretary general is a diplomat whose job is to help broker peace and ensure security.

Whoever is chosen will have the Herculean task of trying to calm the many conflicts around the world today, including the Iran war, Sudan conflict, Russia-Ukraine war and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Updated:

October 30, 2026, 3:00 AM