Rebeca Grynspan leads UN chief poll, diplomat says

Costa Rica's former vice president Rebeca Grynspan led an informal poll in the race to become the next UN secretary-general, a diplomatic source said Wednesday.

Seven candidates, four women and three men, are seeking to succeed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of Portugal. His second five-year term ends on December 31, 2026.

In the closed-door poll, UN Security Council members anonymously rated each candidate as “encourage”, “discourage” or “no opinion”. The diplomatic source said Grynspan received nine encourage ratings, six discourage ratings and no no-opinion ratings.

It was the fourth time Grynspan had led the poll in five rounds held since July. Her latest result was weaker than in a September 29 vote, when she received 10 encourage ratings, three discourage ratings and two no-opinion ratings, according to the diplomatic source.

Rafael Grossi of Argentina, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, came second with six encourage ratings, seven discourage ratings and two no-opinion ratings, the source said. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, a former foreign minister of Guyana, came third.

A candidate needs nine votes in the 15-member Security Council and must avoid a veto by any of its five permanent members. If a candidate clears those hurdles, the nomination goes to the UN General Assembly for confirmation.

The UN's top job traditionally rotates between regions, and under that practice the role would go to a candidate from Latin America this time.