Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan Leads UN Secretary-General Race As Vote Enters Decisive Stage

Former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan emerged as the narrow frontrunner in an informal United Nations Security Council poll on Friday in the race to become the world body’s 10th secretary-general, but opposition from permanent members left the contest wide open, according to people familiar with the process.

All candidates received at least two opposing votes from the council’s five permanent members — Russia, China, the United States, France and Britain — raising the possibility that new contenders could enter the race, diplomats and observers said.

The next UN chief will face multiple challenges, including ongoing wars, cuts in US contributions to the organisation and declining political influence as Washington withdraws from dozens of UN agencies.

Friday’s vote was the sixth informal secret ballot organised by Security Council officials, who have less than three months to recommend a successor to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term ends on December 31.

Grynspan Maintains Narrow Lead

Grynspan, 70, received nine “encourage” votes, five “discourage” votes and one “no opinion” vote, according to people familiar with the process. Two of the five opposing votes came from permanent members of the council.

Guyana’s UN ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett secured eight votes in favour, six against and one “no opinion” vote, with two opposing votes from permanent members.

Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), recorded a nearly identical result to Rodrigues-Birkett but had the support of one fewer permanent member.

Four other former UN officials and senior diplomats are also seeking support, but their candidacies have attracted more opposing than supporting votes.

Grynspan has led four of the five informal polls conducted in recent months. Rodrigues-Birkett topped one poll in August.

Veto Powers Hold the Key

The latest poll marked a significant development in the selection process, as colour-coded ballots were used for the first time to indicate whether a candidate faced opposition from a permanent member.

To secure the Security Council’s recommendation, a candidate needs at least nine favourable votes from the 15-member body and no opposing vote from any of its five permanent members.

The results have left the council divided and increased speculation that additional candidates could enter the contest.

Diplomats said several senior figures, including current and former foreign ministers and national leaders, were considering joining the race, although new entrants would have limited time to build support.

Asked whether more candidates could enter the contest, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said after Friday’s vote: “Countries, if they want to put more candidates in, that’s certainly within their sovereign rights.”

The selection process has previously required multiple rounds of voting. When Guterres was chosen in October 2016, the council conducted six straw polls before reaching an agreement.

Grynspan Says Race Is Far From Over

In an interview with Reuters on Thursday, Grynspan said she “wouldn’t be surprised” if a permanent member vetoed her candidacy, adding that such opposition would mark the beginning of further negotiations rather than the end of her campaign.

“The game is not over — we will have to continue working,” she said.

A Costa Rican economist, Grynspan argued that the UN had become too risk-averse and said its next leader should be willing to accept the consequences of diplomatic setbacks and try again.

She also called for reducing senior-level positions, curbing bureaucracy and eliminating duplication among UN agencies.

Grynspan said cost-cutting alone would not restore the organisation’s influence, arguing that the UN needed to address both its shrinking resources and declining political standing.

Historic Opportunity for a Female UN Chief

The selection comes amid renewed attention to gender representation at the highest level of the United Nations. In the organisation’s more than 80-year history, no woman has served as secretary-general.

Grynspan’s candidacy offers a potential breakthrough, but the latest poll shows that securing the backing of the Security Council’s permanent members remains a major obstacle.

With Guterres’ term ending on December 31, council members face mounting pressure to reach an agreement on the next secretary-general while navigating competing geopolitical interests and divisions over the future direction of the UN.