Macky Sall rises to fourth place in UN Secretary-General straw poll

Former Senegalese President Macky Sall has moved up to fourth place in the second non-binding straw poll conducted by the United Nations Security Council to select a successor to António Guterres.

In the vote held on August 21, 2026, Sall received six ‘encourage’ mentions and seven ‘discourage’ mentions, along with two ‘no opinion’ responses. While this stability allowed him to rise one position from his fifth-place finish in the July 30 poll, he remains the only West African candidate among the eight remaining contenders. His result is notable for having a negative net balance of support, as he currently faces more opposition than encouragement within the Council.

Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett led the second vote with eight ‘encourage’ mentions. Rebeca Grynspan followed in second place, and Rafael Grossi took third. Other candidates remaining in the race include Olara Otunnu, María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, Michelle Bachelet, and Ivonne A-Baki.