Macky Sall's UN candidacy and APR leadership succession

Former Senegalese President Macky Sall is a potential compromise candidate in the race to succeed António Guterres as United Nations Secretary-General. While recent indicative votes in the UN Security Council showed nine discouraging votes against his candidacy in September, the potential for vetoes from permanent members against other frontrunners—such as the United States, China, or Russia—could keep Sall's prospects alive.

Simultaneously, Sall's political party, the Alliance pour la République (APR), is preparing for a leadership transition. Should Sall secure the UN position, the neutrality required by the role would necessitate his departure from the party presidency. This internal reorganization comes at a time of political fragility for the APR, which secured only 14.67% of the vote in recent legislative elections and has faced several high-profile departures of members and mayors.