UN: Rodrigues-Birkett, Grynspan and Grossi lead in the second vote to succeed Guterres

The Guyanese Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, the Costa Rican Rebeca Grynspan and the Argentine Rafael Grossi are the three candidates with the greatest support in the second informal vote of the UN Security Council for the succession to António Guterres. Rodrigues-Birkett obtained 8 votes, while Grynspan and Grossi stopped at 7.

The vote, secret and non-binding, took place today behind closed doors among the 15 members of the Council. The result does not yet determine the winner: at least nine votes and no vetoes from the five permanent members, the United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom and France, are needed to obtain the nomination.

The candidacy of Rodrigues-Birkett, former Foreign Minister of Guyana and current permanent representative of the country at the UN, has therefore obtained greater consensus than that of Grynspan, who has so far been considered the favourite. Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), also remains among the main candidates. Guterres' term expires on 31 December 2026 and the new secretary-general is expected to be chosen by the end of the year.