The UN Security Council held its second non-binding straw poll on August 21, 2026, to gauge support for candidates seeking to succeed Antonio Guterres as UN Secretary-General [1] [2] [3] [4]. Guterres' second term ends December 31, 2026 [1] [2] [3] [4].
Eight candidates are in the running: Rebeca Grynspan (Costa Rica), Rafael Grossi (Argentina), Michelle Bachelet (Chile), Maria Fernanda Espinosa (Ecuador), Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett (Guyana), Olara Otunnu (Uganda), Macky Sall (Senegal), and Ivonne A-Baki (Ecuador), who joined after the first round [1] [2] [3] [4].
The Security Council comprises 15 members, including five permanent veto holders: the US, China, France, Russia, and the UK [1] [2] [3] [4]. To be recommended to the General Assembly, a candidate must earn at least nine votes from Council members and face no vetoes from the permanent five [1] [2] [3] [4].
The secret straw polls allow members to indicate 'encourage', 'discourage', or 'no opinion' without binding results. They help narrow the field and reveal possible vetoes before formal selection [1] [2] [3] [4]. Daniel Forti, UN Affairs Director at the International Crisis Group, said the second poll could reveal the race's direction and that vote distributions are expected to shift from July's first poll, which Grynspan led [1]. Christina Markus Lassen, Security Council President for August, confirmed the poll's completion [2].
In the second straw poll, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett led with eight 'encourage' votes, followed by Grynspan and Grossi with seven each [3].
Permanent members hold divergent views and may delay taking firm stances while other candidates could still enter the race [1] [4]. The straw poll mechanism dates back to the 1980s, created to overcome deadlocks caused by vetoes [1] [4]. The UN Secretary-General role traditionally rotates by region, with Latin America favored this time around [1] [4].
The next key date is December 31, when Guterres' term concludes [1] [2] [3] [4]. The Council is expected to continue consultations and polling toward recommending a candidate to the General Assembly.
