Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet withdrew from the race to become the next United Nations secretary-general on September 19, 2026, following a collapse in support during informal Security Council straw polls. Bachelet, who previously served as Chile's first female president and UN human rights chief, had her candidacy's momentum blunted after Chile's far-right President Jose Antonio Kast withdrew government backing. Her exit leaves seven candidates vying to succeed Antonio Guterres when his term ends on December 31, 2026.
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