# UN Secretary-General succession election

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/un-secretary-general-succession-election
> Updated: 2026-08-09T07:00:08.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 2.

Rebeca Grynspan, a Costa Rican economist and former Vice President, has emerged as the frontrunner in the non-binding UN Security Council straw polls to succeed António Guterres as UN Secretary-General. Guterres is set to complete his term on December 31, 2026.

In initial exploratory polling, Grynspan received ten "encourage" votes, one "discourage" vote, and four abstentions, placing her ahead of other candidates including Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana and Rafael Grossi of Argentina. If elected, Grynspan would be the first woman and the first person of Jewish origin to hold the position.

The race includes a field of seven candidates, many from Latin America, following regional rotation expectations. While Grynspan holds an early lead, diplomats note that potential opposition from permanent Security Council members could impact the final selection process.

## Claims

- Rebeca Grynspan emerged as the frontrunner in an informal UN Security Council straw poll. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Grynspan received 10 'encourage' votes in the straw poll. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Grynspan received 1 'discourage' vote in the straw poll. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Carolyn Rodrigues-Burkett is a leading competitor with nine 'encourage' votes. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The current UN Secretary-General António Guterres's term ends on December 31, 2026. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- If selected, Grynspan would be the first female UN Secretary-General. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Grynspan is the current Secretary-General of UNCTAD. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Rafael Grossi of Argentina is among the seven candidates competing. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-09: Rebeca Grynspan emerges as frontrunner for UN Secretary-General

Costa Rican diplomat Rebeca Grynspan has emerged as the frontrunner in an informal UN Security Council poll to become the first female Secretary-General of the United Nations.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/rebeca-grynspan-leads-initial-poll-for-un-secretary-general

### 2026-07-31: Rebeca Grynspan leads UN Secretary‑General straw poll

UN Security Council’s July straw poll puts former Costa Rican VP Rebeca Grynspan ahead with 10 votes to become the first female, Jewish‑origin secretary‑general; term of António Guterres ends Dec 2026.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/rebeca-grynspan-poised-to-become-first-female-un-secretarygeneral

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Cite as: UN Secretary-General succession election. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/un-secretary-general-succession-election