Rafael Grossi places second in preliminary UN Secretary-General vote

In the fourth preliminary vote held by the UN Security Council to select the next Secretary-General, Costa Rican economist Rebeca Grynspan remains the frontrunner. Argentine candidate Rafael Grossi secured second place for the first time, receiving six votes in favor, seven rejections, and two abstentions.

Guyanese candidate Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett fell to third place, receiving five votes in favor and nine rejections. The current Secretary-General, António Guterres, is scheduled to complete his term on December 31, 2026.

The election process involves the Security Council conducting multiple rounds of voting until a candidate achieves at least nine votes out of 15. While there is a strong possibility that the next leader will hail from Latin America and the Caribbean, analysts note that the region must maintain a unified agenda to effectively leverage the influence of a regional representative.