The United Nations Secretary-General's Seat Has Been Occupied by Men for Decades.. Will a Woman Sit on It?

As the end of Antonio Guterres' second term approaches on December 31, 2026, the United Nations enters the most sensitive phase in the race to select its tenth Secretary-General.

The process is not like traditional elections, as it is not directly voted on by the organization's 193 members; rather, it begins with nominations from member states, then passes through the Security Council, before the General Assembly officially issues the appointment decision, according to the official UN website.

The competition included eight names, but former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet announced today, Sunday, her withdrawal from the race, following a decline in her support in the third informal ballot of the Security Council.

This leaves seven names in the current competition, while the door remains theoretically open for new candidates to enter before the process is finalized.

The process begins with a joint invitation from the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council to member states to submit nominations, according to General Assembly Resolution 79/327, which places the principles of transparency and inclusivity at the core of the process. Candidates submit a statement of their vision, a biography, and disclosures about their campaign financing.

They then undergo interactive dialogues with member states and representatives of civil society, before the race moves to the Security Council, where informal and secret ballots are conducted to gauge the level of support and opposition. These ballots do not represent a final decision, but they reveal trends in support.

In the end, the candidate needs a recommendation from the Security Council before being officially appointed by the General Assembly.

One of the most sensitive points lies in the fact that the five permanent members of the council - the United States, China, Russia, France, and Britain - hold veto power, meaning that broad support alone is not enough if the candidate faces opposition from any of these countries.

The Secretary-General is considered the "chief administrative officer" of the United Nations, responsible for managing the Secretariat and executing the tasks assigned to him by the organization's bodies, but he also plays a political and diplomatic role that goes beyond daily administration.

Article 99 of the UN Charter grants him the authority to draw the Security Council's attention to any issue he believes may threaten international peace and security, making the position a platform for mediation, preventive diplomacy, and good offices, alongside leading the organization's efforts in peace and security, development, humanitarian work, and human rights.

Guterres to "Al Arabiya": We strongly condemn the Houthi attacks on infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.🔴 The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, to "Al Arabiya": We strongly condemn the Houthi attacks on infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.🔴 We emphasize the utmost importance of respecting the rights and freedom of navigation.🔴 The attacks targeting ships… pic.twitter.com/kXPnEKsdNo

As for the current 7 candidates, they are: Rebecca Greenspan, Caroline Rodriguez Burkett, as well as Rafael Grossi, Olara Otunnu, Macky Sall, in addition to Maria Fernanda Espinosa, and Yvonne A-Paki.

The Costa Rican Rebecca Greenspan, 70 years old, leads the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and positions herself as an advocate for multilateralism and reform of the international system.

In the latest unofficial vote on September 18, she received "support" from 9 members against 5, with one member abstaining, leading the third round after also topping the first round.

Rodriguez Burkett has represented Guyana at the United Nations since 2020 and was the first woman and first indigenous person to hold the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in her country. In the last vote, she received "support" from 8 members against 6, with one member abstaining, after leading the second round in August.

The Argentine Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, also enters the race with extensive experience in nuclear security and international crises.

In the third round, he received the "support" of 5 members against 8, with 2 members abstaining.

As for the Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu, who is 75 years old, he previously held the position of Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, focusing on reforming the organization and restoring what he describes as its moral authority, along with establishing a mechanism for overseeing artificial intelligence. In the third round, he received the "support" of 5 members against 7, with 3 members abstaining.

Meanwhile, former Senegalese President Macky Sall relies on 12 years of presidential experience, placing the reform of the Security Council, support for developing countries, and revitalizing multilateralism at the forefront of his agenda. In the third round, he received the "support" of 5 members against 9, with 1 member abstaining.

On the other hand, Ecuadorian María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés has held the positions of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense, and also presided over the United Nations General Assembly. Her vision focuses on restoring trust in the organization and improving its ability to set and implement priorities. In the last vote, she received the "support" of 3 members against 6, with 6 members abstaining.

The Ecuadorian diplomat Ivonne A-Baki also entered the competition in August after Tonga nominated her, calling for a focus on conflict prevention and institutional reform. In the third round, she received no "support," compared to 10 members, with 5 members abstaining.

Bachelet was one of the most prominent international names in the race, thanks to her experience as President of Chile and as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, but she received "support" from only one member in the vote on September 18, compared to 11, with 3 members abstaining, before announcing her withdrawal on September 20.

With her exit, the race became more focused around Greenspan and Rodriguez Berquet in the latest support indicators, but there is still no candidate who has decisively won the competition.

The secret ballots do not reveal the identities of the countries that support or reject each name, nor do they clarify whether any of the opposing votes came from a permanent member state. Thus, the United Nations is heading into the final phase of a highly sensitive race, while the path to the position is linked not only to the level of support but also to the ability to build consensus within the Security Council and avoid a veto, before the chosen individual takes the lead of the organization starting January 1, 2027.