Guyana's Rodrigues-Birkett leads second UN secretary-general poll
Guyana's Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett now leads the race to become the next UN secretary-general after a second Security Council straw poll on August 21 narrowed the field. The Guyanese ambassador received eight "encourage" votes, three "discourage" and four "no opinion" ballots, edging past former front-runner Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica and IAEA chief Rafael Grossi of Argentina.
Key Takeaways
- Guyana's Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett topped the second informal UN Security Council straw poll with eight encourage votes.
- Costa Rica's Rebeca Grynspan, who led July's first round, slipped to second place with seven encourage votes.
- Eight candidates remain after Ecuador's Ivonne A-Baki joined the race following the first ballot.
- A nominee needs at least nine Security Council votes and must avoid a veto from any permanent member.
- António Guterres's second term as secretary-general ends on December 31, 2026.
What happened in the second UN secretary-general straw poll?
The United Nations Security Council held its second non-binding straw poll on Friday, August 21, to gauge support for candidates seeking to replace António Guterres when his second five-year term expires at year-end. Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen of Denmark, the council's president for August, confirmed the vote had concluded.
According to results circulated after the poll, Rodrigues-Birkett received the strongest backing among the 15 council members. Rebeca Grynspan and Rafael Grossi each collected seven "encourage" votes, though Grossi drew six "discourage" votes compared with Grynspan's four.
The Economist described the process as one that "cuts the chaff," noting that candidates market themselves as pragmatic dealmakers who can navigate great-power competition. By revealing voting intentions, the poll is designed to gradually narrow the field before a formal recommendation reaches the General Assembly.
Why does Guyana's candidate now lead the race?
Rodrigues-Birkett, 52, is Guyana's ambassador to the UN and a former foreign minister. She has argued the United Nations must restore its "credibility" on the global stage, stressing that the body delivers far beyond peace and security in areas such as development and human rights.
Her rise marks a shift from July, when Grynspan led the first round with 10 encourage votes to Rodrigues-Birkett's nine. In the August poll, Grynspan lost three encourage votes and gained three discourage ballots, while Rodrigues-Birkett held the top spot despite a modest dip in support.
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Who remains in the running to replace António Guterres?
Beyond the top three, the field includes former Senegalese President Macky Sall, former UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu and Ecuadorian diplomat Ivonne A-Baki, who entered after the first round.
France 24 profiles each contender against a backdrop of deep divisions within the organisation. Grynspan heads UNCTAD and brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative; Grossi leads the International Atomic Energy Agency; Bachelet is a former UN human rights chief.
Detailed vote tallies and candidate backgrounds are documented by Al Jazeera, which reported the full second-round results.
What happens next before a new UN chief is chosen?
Straw polls are secret and non-binding, intended to test viability before the Security Council formally recommends a single candidate to the 193-member General Assembly, which typically ratifies the choice. A candidate needs at least nine votes on the 15-member council and must avoid a veto from any of the five permanent members: the United States, China, France, Russia and the United Kingdom.
Later rounds may use colour-coded ballots for permanent members, revealing whether a "discourage" vote came from a veto-wielding power without naming the country. Several rounds could stretch into the final months of 2026.
Whoever succeeds Guterres will inherit an institution whose standing critics say has been tested by conflicts from Gaza to Ukraine. The next secretary-general faces the task of maintaining UN relevance amid fractured great-power relations.