A new United Nations Secretary-General will be elected next year for a five-year term starting on January 1, 2027.
Here are the potential candidates so far and how the successor to current U.N. chief Antonio Guterres will be chosen:
WHEN DOES THE PROCESS START?
The race will formally start when the 15-member Security Council and the president of the 193-member General Assembly send a joint letter soliciting nominations.
That letter is due to be sent by the end of the year. A candidate has to be nominated by a U.N. member state.
The job traditionally rotates among regions, but when Guterres – who is from Portugal – was elected in 2016, it was supposed to be Eastern Europe’s turn. Next on the list is Latin America; however, some diplomats expect candidates from other regions.
WHO WANTS TO BE THE NEXT SECRETARY-GENERAL?
While the race doesn’t formally begin until the letter is sent by the presidents of the Security Council and the General Assembly, there are already several publicly declared candidates:
MICHELLE BACHELET – CHILE: Chile will nominate the country’s former president, Michelle Bachelet, President Gabriel Boric said on September 23, 2025. Bachelet was Chile’s first female head of state and served as president of the South American nation twice. Bachelet was U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights between 2018-2022 and executive director of U.N. Women between 2010-2013.
REBECA GRYNSPAN – COSTA RICA: Costa Rica will nominate former Vice President Rebeca Grynspan, President Rodrigo Chaves said on October 8, 2025. Grynspan, a 69-year-old politician and economist, currently serves as Secretary-General of the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
RAFAEL GROSSI – ARGENTINA: Grossi has long said he was considering campaigning to be secretary-general. When asked by Reuters on September 3, 2025 if he was definitely going to run, he said: “Yes, I am going to do that, yes.” A veteran Argentinian diplomat, Grossi is director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a role he has held since 2019.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS?
The 15-member Security Council will formally recommend a candidate to the 193-member General Assembly for election as the 10th U.N. secretary-general later next year.
The Security Council will hold secret ballots – referred to as a straw poll – until a consensus is reached on a candidate. The choices council members are given for each candidate in the straw poll are: encourage, discourage or no opinion.
Ultimately, the five permanent veto-wielding council members – the United States, Russia, Britain, China and France – must agree on a candidate.
The ballots for the veto powers in the straw poll are traditionally a different color to those of the 10 elected members. When Guterres was chosen in 2016 to be recommended to the General Assembly, it took six straw polls for the Security Council to reach agreement.
The Security Council then adopts a resolution, traditionally behind closed doors, recommending an appointment to the General Assembly. The resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes to pass.
(REUTERS)