First Color-Coded Straw Poll for UN Secretary-General: Grynspan Leads With Nine “Encourage” Votes, but No Candidate Avoids a Potential Veto

The United Nations Security Council held its sixth informal straw poll on Friday, October 16, as part of the process to select the next Secretary-General. For the first time in the current process, Council members used color-coded ballots that distinguish the votes of the five permanent members (China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States) from those of the ten elected members. According to results reported by media outlets, no candidate obtained the support required for a Security Council recommendation.

Rebeca Grynspan (Costa Rica) received nine "encourage," five "discourage" and one "no opinion" votes, with three of the "encourage" votes and two of the "discourage" votes cast by permanent members. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett (Guyana) obtained eight "encourage," six "discourage" and one "no opinion" votes, including three "encourage" and two "discourage" votes from permanent members. Rafael Grossi (Argentina) also received eight "encourage" and six "discourage" votes, of which two "encourage" and two "discourage" votes came from permanent members.

Macky Sall (Senegal) received five "encourage" and ten "discourage" votes, three of the latter from permanent members. Olara Otunnu (Uganda) obtained four "encourage," ten "discourage" and one "no opinion" votes, and María Fernanda Espinosa (Ecuador) received three "encourage," nine "discourage" and three "no opinion" votes; each received three "discourage" votes from permanent members. Ivonne A-Baki (Ecuador), received one "encourage" and fourteen "discourage" votes, including "discourage" votes from all five permanent members.

The color-coded ballots showed that every candidate received at least one "discourage" vote from a permanent member. Grynspan, Rodrigues-Birkett and Grossi each received two such votes; Sall, Otunnu and Espinosa received three each; and A-Baki received five. The ballots do not identify which permanent member cast each vote.

On Saturday, October 17, former President of Senegal Macky Sall announced the withdrawal of his candidacy. In a statement, he said he hoped the decision would contribute to the emergence of a consensus candidate within the Security Council. His withdrawal leaves six candidates in the race.

Under Article 97 of the Charter of the United Nations, the Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. Straw polls are informal and non-binding, and a "discourage" vote from a permanent member does not constitute a formal veto; Council members may change their positions in subsequent rounds. To be recommended in the formal vote, a candidate requires at least nine affirmative votes and no negative vote from any of the five permanent members.

The term of the current Secretary-General, António Guterres, ends on December 31, 2026.