UN Security Council to hold second straw poll for next Secretary-General

The United Nations Security Council is set to meet on Friday at 10:00 New York time to conduct a second straw poll to identify a successor to current Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Guterres, 77, is scheduled to conclude his second five-year term on December 31. Seven candidates, comprising five women and two men, are currently vying for the position, with member states voting anonymously to indicate whether they 'encourage,' 'discourage,' or express 'no opinion' regarding each contender.

This process follows an initial straw poll held on July 30, which saw Rebeca Grynspan, the 70-year-old former Vice President of Costa Rica and current head of UNCTAD, receive the highest number of positive responses. Analysts, such as Daniel Forti from the International Crisis Group, anticipate that the distribution of votes may fluctuate significantly during this second round. The ongoing selection process reflects deep divisions within the organization as it seeks a candidate to lead the international body starting in the new year.