A vote to select the United Nations next secretary-general is underway, with the successful candidate set to begin a five-year mandate on January 1, 2027. The formal nomination period opened after a joint letter from the then-president of the U.N. Security Council, representing its 15 members, and the president of the U.N. General Assembly called for submissions on November 25. Nominations must be put forward by U.N. member states.
The secretary-generalship traditionally rotates among regions. When the current U.N. chief, who is from Portugal, was chosen in 2016 it was meant to be Eastern Europe’s turn. By sequence, Latin America is next in line, although diplomats have indicated they may see contenders from outside that region.
Nomination deadlines and public interaction
The president of the General Assembly has asked states to submit nominations by April 1 so nominees can take part in publicly streamed interactive dialogues during the week of April 20. These sessions will allow candidates to present their vision statements and respond to questions from member states in a format that will be broadcast online.
Who has been nominated or signaled intent to run
Several figures have either been officially nominated or indicated they intend to seek the post.
- Rafael Grossi - Argentina: Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said on September 3 that he planned to run, telling reporters "Yes, I am going to do that, yes." Argentina formally submitted his nomination on November 26, 2025. Grossi is a seasoned Argentine diplomat who has led the agency since 2019.
- Michelle Bachelet - Chile: Bachelet, a two-time president of Chile and the country’s first female head of state, was formally nominated on February 2 by Chile, Brazil and Mexico. Her U.N. roles include serving as U.N. high commissioner for human rights from 2018 to 2022 and as executive director of U.N. Women from 2010 to 2013. In her statement for the role, she emphasized that the international system confronts challenges of unprecedented scale, urgency and complexity, and she pledged to work on "rebuilding trust in the United Nations."
- Rebeca Grynspan - Costa Rica: Costa Rica nominated former Vice President Rebeca Grynspan, with the nomination announced by President Rodrigo Chaves on October 8. Grynspan is an economist and politician who currently serves as Secretary-General of the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development.
- Macky Sall - Senegal: Sall, a former president of Senegal, was nominated by Burundi, according to a U.N. spokesperson on March 2. In his vision statement he described a world in deep crisis in which the U.N. faces growing mistrust and an unprecedented risk of weakening, and he argued the organization needs reform, streamlining and modernization to confront 21st-century challenges.
- Virginia Gamba - Argentina: A U.N. spokesperson said on March 13 that Gamba, who served as the U.N. special representative for children and armed conflict under the current secretary-general, had been nominated by the Maldives.
How the selection mechanism works
The Security Council will conduct secret ballots, often called straw polls, to narrow the field and arrive at a recommendation to the General Assembly. For each candidate in these straw polls, council members indicate whether they "encourage," "discourage," or express "no opinion." The five permanent members of the Security Council - the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France - must ultimately agree on a candidate, and their ballots in straw polls are traditionally distinguished by a separate color from those of the 10 elected council members.
When the current secretary-general was chosen in 2016, it took six straw polls for the Council to coalesce around a recommendation. Once a consensus emerges, the Council adopts a resolution, typically behind closed doors, recommending the selected candidate to the General Assembly. That resolution requires nine votes in favor and no vetoes. The General Assembly then votes to appoint the secretary-general; historically, that approval has been viewed largely as a formal ratification of the Security Council’s recommendation.
Transparency reforms and campaign conduct
Recognizing criticism of an opaque selection process, the General Assembly adopted a resolution in September 2025 aimed at greater openness. Under that resolution, each formally nominated candidate must provide a vision statement when nominated and be given an opportunity to present that statement. Those statements are to be published on a dedicated United Nations web page. The resolution also calls for candidates to disclose their sources of campaign funding.
Additionally, the resolution advised that any candidate who currently holds a U.N. position should consider suspending their duties during the campaign period to avoid conflicts of interest or perceived advantages arising from their office.
The role the secretary-general occupies
The U.N. Charter designates the secretary-general as the organization’s "chief administrative officer." The U.N. describes the office as combining diplomatic, advocacy, civil service and chief executive functions. The incumbent manages thousands of civilian staff and oversees 11 peacekeeping missions.
In budgetary terms, the U.N. core annual budget stands at $3.45 billion, while the peacekeeping budget is $5.4 billion. Despite overseeing these resources, the secretary-general does not have authority to authorize use of force or impose sanctions; those powers rest with the Security Council. For that reason, diplomats often say the permanent council members prefer a secretary-general who functions more as a "secretary" than a "general."
Gender and representation
No woman has ever held the post of U.N. secretary-general. The General Assembly’s September resolution acknowledged this fact and encouraged member states to strongly consider nominating women. That encouragement forms part of the broader push for transparency and inclusivity in the selection process.
What remains uncertain
The timeline set by the General Assembly for nominations and interactive dialogues creates a structured window for candidates to present themselves publicly, but the ultimate timetable for Security Council straw polls and a recommended candidate will depend on when the council achieves the necessary consensus. The influence of the five permanent members and the potential for vetoes remain decisive factors in determining the outcome.
As the interactive dialogues proceed and the Security Council begins its closed deliberations and straw polls, member states and observers will watch closely for how the mix of regional expectations, candidate profiles and the voting positions of the permanent members shape the final recommendation to the General Assembly.