Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan has emerged as the clear frontrunner in the latest straw poll to choose the next United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG), according to informal results reported by independent outlet PassBlue.
In the Security Council’s latest test vote, Grynspan picked up 11 “encouraging” votes, putting her ahead of Argentina’s Rafael Grossi with nine and Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett with eight. A new contender, Lana Nusseibeh of the United Arab Emirates, entered the race in fourth place, drawing seven encouraging votes, six discouraging, and two neutral.
The Council reverted to uniform, color-blind balloting for this round, meaning there was no distinction between votes cast by elected members and those from the five permanent, veto-wielding powers (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States). Because all the leading candidates received at least four discouraging votes, it remains uncertain whether any of them face a fatal P5 veto.
While these informal ballots serve as a barometer of support rather than a final vote, any successful candidate will ultimately need at least nine Council votes and no P5 vetoes before their nomination goes to the General Assembly for approval.
–ChannelAfrica/Sherwin Bryce-Pease–
