The United Nations Security Council on Friday conducted its second informal straw poll to assess support for candidates seeking to become the organization’s next secretary-general.
Christina Markus Lassen, Denmark’s ambassador to the UN and current president of the Security Council for August, confirmed that the latest round of voting had taken place behind closed doors.
“The second round of straw polls has taken place,” Lassen told reporters after the vote.
She said the candidates would be informed of the outcome through the permanent representatives of the member states that nominated them. The president of the UN General Assembly will also be notified that the straw poll has been completed.
Key step in selection process
Straw polls are a critical part of the process used by the Security Council to identify a candidate for recommendation to the General Assembly, which formally appoints the UN secretary-general.
The informal ballots are designed to gauge the level of support for each candidate among the council’s members. Results are not officially released, and council members vote in secret.
Under Article 97 of the UN Charter, the secretary-general is appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.
Lassen declined to disclose details of Friday’s vote, although it is understood that all eight candidates currently in the race were included on the ballot.
Eight candidates competing for top UN post
The candidates vying to succeed Antonio Guterres represent a diverse group of former heads of state, diplomats and international officials.
They are Ivonne A-Baki of Ecuador, Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, Olara Otunnu of Uganda, Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett of Guyana and Macky Sall of Senegal.
Grossi currently serves as director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, while Grynspan leads the UN Conference on Trade and Development. Several of the other candidates have held senior government or UN positions.
How the straw poll works
According to Security Council watchdog What’s in Blue, council members receive a separate ballot for each candidate.
Each ballot offers three choices: “encouraged,” “discouraged,” or “no opinion expressed.” The voting process helps determine which candidates have the strongest backing before the council moves toward selecting a final nominee.
The next UN secretary-general will take office after the term of current Secretary-General Antonio Guterres concludes on December 31. Further straw polls are expected as the Security Council narrows the field and works toward reaching consensus on a candidate to recommend to the General Assembly.
- The United Nations Security Council on Friday conducted its second informal straw poll to assess support for candidates seeking to become the organization’s next secretary-general.
- Christina Markus Lassen, Denmark’s ambassador to the UN and current president of the Security Council for August, confirmed that the latest round of voting had taken place behind closed doors.
- “The second round of straw polls has taken place,” Lassen told reporters after the vote.
- She said the candidates would be informed of the outcome through the permanent representatives of the member states that nominated them.
- The president of the UN General Assembly will also be notified that the straw poll has been completed.
