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Rodrigues-Birkett leads UN secretary-general vote
Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett led the Security Council’s second informal ballot, but no candidate has secured the UN’s top job.
What happened
Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett led the UN Security Council's second confidential informal ballot to choose António Guterres's successor. Rebeca Grynspan and Rafael Grossi followed. The consultation narrowed attention to the leading candidates but did not select a nominee; permanent members have not publicly exercised their vetoes.
Numbers
- 8 votesSupport for Rodrigues-Birkett — Highest total in the ballot
- 7 votesSupport for Grynspan and Grossi — They shared second place
- 15 membersSecurity Council members voting — Five hold veto powers
- 31 Dec 2026Guterres's term ends — A successor is due
Questions
- Why is the ballot not decisive?
- Permanent members can veto a candidate, and later ballots will identify how those members vote separately, making early support insufficient.
- What do ballot categories measure?
- Each member marks encouragement, discouragement or no opinion, allowing the Council to measure support and opposition before its formal recommendation.
- What changed from the first ballot?
- Grynspan lost support from her initial lead, while opposition to Grossi rose; that left Rodrigues-Birkett ahead in the latest count.
- What formal step follows consultations?
- The Council's formal recommendation to the General Assembly follows these consultations; the reporting gives no timetable for that final step.
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The catch
The confidential ballot does not reveal how any permanent member voted or whether a veto will follow.
Results are preliminary.