Costa Rica's Rebeca Grynspan leads in UN Security Council poll for next secretary-general

Former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan has emerged as the frontrunner to become the next United Nations secretary-general, leading a field of seven candidates in the fifth Security Council straw poll on October 7, 2026. Grynspan secured the necessary nine votes to advance, though her support slipped slightly to 9 encourage and 6 discourage votes. This unstable support, coupled with ongoing gridlock, may prompt new candidates to enter the race to succeed Antonio Guterres amid global crises.

Rebeca Grynspan's candidacy

• ▪An informal United Nations Security Council poll on October 7, 2026, placed former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan as frontrunner to become the 10th secretary-general, receiving 9 "encourage", 6 "discourage", and 0 "no opinion" votes
• ▪Rebeca Grynspan, who currently serves as the Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development, is attempting to become the first female secretary-general in the more than 80-year history of the United Nations

Developments among other candidates

• ▪Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet dropped out of the United Nations secretary-general race last month, leaving seven active candidates vying to succeed Antonio Guterres
• ▪Other candidates in the race to succeed Antonio Guterres as UN secretary-general, including Guyana's UN ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Argentina's Rafael Grossi, received more "discourage" than "encourage" votes in the October 7, 2026, poll
• ▪Diplomats at the United Nations state that several senior figures, including current and former foreign ministers and country leaders, are seriously considering entering the secretary-general race to succeed Antonio Guterres

Debatable claims

• ▪The next United Nations secretary-general should be a woman
• ▪No permanent Security Council member should possess an effective veto over the secretary-general selection
• ▪A new secretary-general can restore the United Nations' declining political relevance
• ▪The Security Council's secret straw poll process does more harm than good