Six candidates for UN chief to take part in televised debate

Six candidates for United Nations secretary-general are due to take part in a 90-minute televised debate in the General Assembly Hall on 23 July 2026, one week before the formal selection process begins.

The event is scheduled for 5:00 pm, or 2100 GMT, and will include questions from diplomats, UN employees and civil society representatives. Bloomberg is due to broadcast it.

The candidates are Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana and Macky Sall of Senegal. They are seeking to succeed outgoing Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said the town hall would give people a rare chance to hear the candidates’ ideas, priorities and leadership plans. She said the UN needs a chief administrator able to make the organization fit for the 21st century, and a leader willing to defend the UN Charter and its three pillars.

The selection is taking place while the United Nations faces financial and confidence pressures. US President Donald Trump’s administration has accused the organization of spending recklessly, taking on too much and failing to deliver satisfactory results. The United States is calling for a return to the UN’s core purposes of peace and security, while other states say human rights and development should remain equally important.

International Crisis Group analyst Richard Gowan said the campaign has been cautious compared with the 2016 race, when Guterres was selected. He said candidates appear to be trying to avoid offending the United States and other veto powers.

The candidates have already each faced three hours of questioning from representatives of the 193 UN member states. Most emphasized continued reforms to make the UN more efficient and a stronger role for the secretary-general in peace efforts.

On 30 July, the 15 Security Council members are due to hold their first closed-door anonymous vote on the candidates. Further straw polls are expected until one candidate can receive the required nine votes without a veto from any of the five permanent members. The chosen name will then be sent to the General Assembly for formal appointment. The next secretary-general is due to take office on 1 January 2027.

Several diplomats were cautious about the outcome, saying some capitals had not yet made their choice. Gowan said Grossi is still the most frequently mentioned front-runner, but has not secured the race, and said Grynspan and Rodrigues-Birkett also have many supporters. He said a dark horse candidate could still appear.

Other names are also circulating in UN corridors and media reports. The New York Post has reported that Trump would like FIFA president Gianni Infantino to lead the UN. Under a geographic rotation tradition that is not always followed, Latin America is making a claim to the post, and many states are calling for a woman to hold the job for the first time.