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[INTERNATIONAL] · Guyana, Costa Rica, Argentina, Chile, Uganda · 51 sources

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UN Security Council straw poll: Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett leads race

The United Nations Security Council conducted its second round of non-binding straw polls on August 21, 2026, to gauge support for candidates seeking to succeed António Guterres as Secretary-General. Guterres is set to complete his second term on December 31, 2026.

Guyana’s Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett emerged as the frontrunner in this round, receiving eight 'encourage' votes, three 'discourage' votes, and four 'no opinion' votes. She moved into the lead after the first poll in July, which was led by Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan.

Rebeca Grynspan and Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, the current head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, both received seven 'encourage' votes. However, Grossi faced six 'discourage' votes, while Grynspan received four. Other candidates in the eight-person race include Macky Sall, María Fernanda Espinosa, Michelle Bachelet, Olara Otunnu, and Ivonne A-Baki.

To advance to a formal recommendation for the General Assembly, a candidate must secure at least nine votes from the 15-member Security Council and avoid a veto from any of the five permanent members: the United States, China, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom.

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Antonio Guterres · Carole Rodriguez Birkett · Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett · Rafael Mariano Grossi · Rebeca Grynspan · UN Security Council · United Nations · United Nations Security Council

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