Archive · 22 Aug 2026
Rodrigues-Birkett Leads Informal UN Secretary-General Poll, Results Show
The United Nations is choosing a new Secretary-General.
Its Security Council held a private vote to see which candidates have the most support.
Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana received the most positive votes this time.
She received eight positive votes, but needs at least nine to move forward.
She also must avoid being rejected by any of the Council’s five permanent members.
Rebecca Grynspan, who led the previous poll, received fewer positive votes this time.
The vote results were supposed to be confidential, but unofficial results were published.
The Council will eventually recommend one candidate to the wider UN membership.
Former Guyana Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett received the most positive votes in the latest informal Security Council poll.
Rodrigues-Birkett received eight “encourage,” three “discourage,” and four neutral votes among the 15 Council members.
UNCTAD head Rebecca Grynspan fell to seven positive votes from 10 in the previous poll and received four negative votes.
No candidate reached the nine positive votes required for the Security Council to recommend a nominee.
The leaked results remain unofficial, and a permanent member’s opposition could still block any candidate.
- Who
- Eight candidates are competing, with Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Rebecca Grynspan among the leading contenders.
- What
- The UN Security Council held an informal straw poll to measure support for the next Secretary-General.
- When
- The latest poll was held on Friday, following an earlier poll last month.
- Where
- The poll was conducted by the 15-member United Nations Security Council.
- Why
- The poll is intended to gauge candidates’ support before the Council recommends one to the UN General Assembly.
- Top candidate
- Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett
- Rodrigues-Birkett’s tally
- Eight encourage, three discourage, and four neutral votes
- Required support
- At least nine positive votes are needed
- Grynspan’s tally
- Seven encourage and four discourage votes in the latest poll
- Permanent-member rule
- A candidate cannot advance if opposed by a veto-wielding permanent Council member
- Poll status
- The results are unofficial and were leaked despite being confidential
- Next step
- The Security Council will recommend a candidate to the UN General Assembly