Michelle Bachelet withdraws from UN Secretary-General race

Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has officially withdrawn her candidacy for the position of United Nations Secretary-General, stepping down from the race to succeed incumbent Antonio Guterres. In a video message released on September 20, 2026, the 74-year-old politician stated that she remains committed to the core missions of the UN, including peace, security, and sustainable development, and expressed no regrets regarding her campaign.

Bachelet highlighted that her candidacy helped promote the discourse that the next UN leader should be a woman from Latin America, a region that has not held the position since the tenure of Javier Perez de Cuellar. Following her withdrawal, Rebeca Grynspan, the former Vice President of Costa Rica, is now considered a frontrunner, having secured significant support in recent informal UN Security Council straw polls. The final selection process requires a candidate to gain the support of at least nine out of fifteen Security Council members without facing a veto from the five permanent members, before receiving a formal appointment by the UN General Assembly.