All candidates for UN leadership face resistance from veto powers
Grynspan retains a narrow lead, but the sixth informal ballot produces no breakthrough.
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None of the seven candidates for the United Nations’ highest office secured a clear path from the permanent Security Council members in the sixth informal ballot. According to diplomatic sources cited by news agencies, Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan remains slightly ahead, but she too faces resistance from two veto powers.
The poll on Friday 16 October chiefly highlights how much negotiation is still needed to find a successor to António Guterres. According to AP, the three leading candidates each received two negative votes from permanent Council members. AP cites two diplomats speaking anonymously because the ballot was held behind closed doors. The outcome is therefore a reported interim tally, not a publicly confirmed appointment result.
According to Reuters, Grynspan received nine votes of encouragement, five votes of discouragement and one expressing no preference. Two negative votes came from permanent members. The former Costa Rican vice-president therefore has the numerical support required for a recommendation, but still faces another obstacle: a permanent member state can block that recommendation. Her narrow lead therefore offers no certainty in itself about the eventual choice.
For the first time in this selection process, the ballot papers of the five permanent members were distinguished by colour from those of the ten elected members, The National reports. This made it possible to see whether opposition came from a country with veto power. Those five countries are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The sources used do not establish which countries opposed which candidate.
The term veto requires precision here. This was an informal poll intended to gauge positions, not a formal decision definitively rejecting candidates. Security Council Report explained beforehand that such negative votes nevertheless provide a strong indication of a possible veto. The poll therefore shows where potential blocks lie; it does not yet determine how countries will vote on an eventual recommendation.
The appointment also involves two UN bodies. Under Article 97 of the UN Charter, the General Assembly appoints the secretary-general on the recommendation of the Security Council. The UN expects the next term of office to begin on 1 January 2027. Guterres’ second term ends on 31 December 2026. A result within the Security Council is therefore a necessary step in a procedure that subsequently still requires a formal appointment.
According to The National, none of the seven participants had withdrawn after this round and no new candidate had entered. The US ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, said afterwards that Washington was seeking a leader who would focus the organisation more strongly on peace and security. He also emphasised efficiency and suitability. This is a publicly stated US position; it does not reveal how the US ballot papers were filled in.
The forthcoming negotiations must establish whether an existing candidate can overcome the opposition or whether a new name can gather sufficient support. The current figures do not answer that question. For now, the distinction between winning votes and becoming appointable is particularly important: Grynspan leads the reported interim tally, while the route to a joint recommendation still appears blocked for all candidates.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The reported poll produced no candidate without opposition from permanent Security Council members.
- The General Assembly appoints the secretary-general on the recommendation of the Security Council.
- The ballot was informal and did not constitute definitive exclusion.
Left
Arguments A left-wing approach emphasises that a UN leader must be able to advocate independently for human rights and countries with little power. A more transparent selection process and greater influence for the General Assembly therefore deserve weight.
Values International solidarity, equality and public accountability.
Consequences According to this approach, a choice that primarily satisfies the veto powers may weaken the confidence of smaller countries and civil society organisations.
Centre
Arguments An institutional approach seeks a candidate who combines broad confidence with sufficient room to operate in dealings with the major powers. Careful negotiations and a timely conclusion should enable continuity in administration.
Values Workable cooperation, continuity and diplomatic credibility.
Consequences A compromise may create room for action, but a prolonged impasse may complicate preparations for the succession.
Right
Arguments A right-wing approach emphasises national control, demonstrable suitability and an efficient UN focused on its core tasks. Support from key member states is a practical prerequisite for effective leadership.
Values Sovereignty, security and financial responsibility.
Consequences According to this approach, an excessively broad mandate without political support may raise expectations that the organisation cannot fulfil.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The event took place on 16 October 2026 and falls within the current news period; several news sources support the reported outcome. The text attributes the closed ballot results to sources and distinguishes an informal rejection from a formal veto.
- confirmed The sixth informal poll took place on 16 October 2026; all seven candidates faced opposition from permanent members. — Reuters reports the date and opposition based on sources close to the process; this is not an official public result. source
- confirmed The three leading candidates each received two negative votes from permanent members. — AP reports this on the authority of two anonymous diplomats. source
- confirmed Grynspan received nine positive votes, five negative votes and one neutral vote; two negative votes came from permanent members. — This breakdown appears in the Reuters report; The National confirms the positive and negative totals. source
- confirmed A recommendation requires at least nine positive votes and no veto from a permanent member. — Reuters describes both conditions. source
- confirmed This was the first round with coloured ballot papers for the five permanent members. — The National describes the distinction between the five permanent and ten elected members and names the permanent member states. source
- confirmed A negative vote in this poll indicates a possible veto and is not a definitive formal rejection. — Security Council Report explains the significance of the informal votes beforehand. source
- confirmed The General Assembly appoints the secretary-general on the recommendation of the Security Council; the next term is expected to begin on 1 January 2027. — The UN library refers to Article 97 and states the expected start date. source
- confirmed Guterres’ second term ends on 31 December 2026. — The General Assembly states the term for which he was appointed in 2021. source
- confirmed According to The National, there had been no withdrawals or new candidates; Waltz emphasised peace, security, efficiency and suitability. — The report states the position after the ballot and reproduces Waltz’s public statements. source
- uncertain It has not been established which permanent member states opposed which candidates. — The reporting consulted does not identify the individual opposing voters; the text makes no assertions about them. source
Editor's note
The voting figures have been reported by several public news sources, but are based on information about a closed poll. There is no official public result or confirmation of the individual national votes. The appointment procedure and the end date of Guterres’ term have been checked against UN sources.Sources
- Latest vote shows no candidate for UN chief has the required support of all five key powers — Associated Press
- Grynspan holds lead for next UN chief as race enters decisive stage — Reuters via MarketScreener
- Grynspan stays ahead in sixth UN Secretary General vote, but two veto powers say no — The National
- Sixth Security Council Straw Poll on UN Secretary-General Candidates — Security Council Report
- How is the Secretary-General of the United Nations appointed? — Verenigde Naties
- Selection and Appointment of the Secretary-General of the United Nations — Algemene Vergadering van de Verenigde Naties
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