U.N. Powers Scramble to Pick Next Secretary-General in 80th Year as 7 Candidates Jostle
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Nov 7
U.N. Powers Scramble to Pick Next Secretary-General in 80th Year as 7 Candidates Jostle
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Nov 7
Summary
Closed-door deliberations have left the U.N. secretary-general race unusually unsettled, with no clear successor yet to replace António Guterres when his second term ends this year.
Seven diplomats are already in the mix, including candidates backed by regional rivals Turkey and the United Arab Emirates and another supported by Argentina's President Javier Milei.
The uncertainty is deep enough that more entrants could still emerge — even Viktor Orban has been floated — and Guterres, 77, could leave office before a successor is chosen.
That would be unprecedented in the U.N.'s 80-year history, breaking with a process that has typically elevated establishment diplomats from countries such as Sweden, South Korea and Portugal.
The disorder comes as the U.N. faces wars in Ukraine and Gaza, climate pressures and AI risks, while President Trump has cut funding and withdrawn from multiple U.N. agreements.
With no clear successor for Guterres by late 2026, could a historic U.N. leadership vacuum paralyze global crisis management in 2027?
As global conflicts escalate, what emergency stopgap measures can the U.N. trigger if the Secretary-General race ends in an absolute deadlock?
Will the Security Council's veto power block the U.N. from electing its first female Secretary-General amid unprecedented geopolitical gridlock?
The 2026 UN Secretary-General Contest: Poll Numbers, P5 Maneuvers, and the Fight for Regional and Gender Equity
Overview
The 2026 UN Secretary-General selection is shaped by secretive Security Council straw polls, where a single permanent member (P5) veto can block any candidate, regardless of broad support. This process is influenced by behind-the-scenes power plays, such as Britain’s opposition to Argentina’s Rafael Grossi due to renewed Falkland Islands disputes and efforts to conceal vetoes using undifferentiated ballots. As António Guterres’s term ends, late entrants like Lana Nusseibeh and Feridun Sinirlioglu join a fluid race, while mounting global crises and economic pressures add urgency. Member states face growing pressure to resolve P5 objections and finalize a nominee before the year’s end.