Rebeca Grynspan Leads Seventh UN Secretary-General Straw Poll
Rebeca Grynspan topped the seventh UN Security Council straw poll for secretary-general, though discourage votes from permanent members complicate her path to nomination.
The United Nations Security Council conducted its seventh straw poll on October 30 to determine the viability of candidates for the next secretary-general. Rebeca Grynspan led the secret, closed-door ballot with 11 encourage votes and four discourage votes, marking her sixth victory across seven attempts.
Rafael Grossi finished second with nine encourage and four discourage votes, followed by Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett with eight encourage votes. Lana Nusseibeh, a former UAE ambassador who entered the race on October 21, received seven encourage votes. Other candidates in the poll included Ivonne A-Baki, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, and Olara Otunnu.
Despite Grynspan's lead, her path to a formal recommendation remains uncertain. A candidate must secure at least nine encourage votes and zero discourage votes from the five permanent Security Council members to proceed to the General Assembly. Grynspan's current discourage votes, combined with an October 16 color-coded poll where two permanent members voted against her, suggest a potential veto.
The selection process follows the October 17 withdrawal of former Senegalese President Macky Sall. The successor to Antonio Guterres is scheduled to take office on January 1, 2027.
