UN secretary-general race 2026: Rebeca Grynspan leads as veto threats block candidates

The race to replace UN Secretary-General António Guterres remains deadlocked after the latest Security Council vote showed that none of the candidates had secured enough support to avoid opposition from the world's major powers.

Rebeca Grynspan, a former Costa Rican vice-president and head of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), received nine favourable votes out of 15 in the October 16 informal ballot, according to Reuters.

However, she also received five negative votes, including two from permanent Security Council members, preventing her from securing the council's recommendation.

Guyana's Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Argentina's Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, each received eight favourable votes. Both also faced opposition from permanent members.

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The vote marked an important stage in the selection process because it was the first to distinguish ballots cast by the five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States — from those of the council's 10 elected members.

Under UN rules, a candidate needs at least nine votes in the Security Council without a veto from any permanent member before the General Assembly can appoint them.

The contest widened on October 21 when the United Arab Emirates nominated diplomat Lana Nusseibeh, a former ambassador to the UN. Her candidacy came after the latest informal ballot, meaning she was not included in those results.

Meanwhile, former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has emerged as a possible additional contender. The Wall Street Journal reported that officials in US President Donald Trump's administration had discussed supporting him as a potential joint candidate with Russia and China.

However, Orbán has not been formally nominated, and the reported proposal remains uncertain.

The next secretary-general will take office on January 1, 2027, succeeding Guterres after two five-year terms.

The selection comes as the UN faces major challenges, including ongoing conflicts, financial pressures and growing divisions among Security Council members.

Although Grynspan leads the reported informal voting, the opposition facing every candidate means the outcome remains unresolved.

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