No UN chief candidate wins backing of all five veto powers

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 17 Oct, 03:32 · Archive

A straw poll shows none of the seven candidates for UN secretary-general has support from all five permanent Security Council members.

A straw poll on Friday showed that none of the seven candidates for UN secretary-general has the support of all five permanent members of the UN Security Council, which hold veto power over the appointment. The five powers are the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.

The three leading candidates are Costa Rica's Rebeca Grynspan, a UN trade chief and former vice president; Argentina's Rafael Grossi, a UN nuclear chief; and Guyana's UN ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett. All three received two 'discourage' votes from the veto-wielding members in the secret poll. Grynspan remained at the top overall with nine 'encourage' votes from the full 15-member Security Council.

The poll was the sixth on the race to succeed António Guterres, who has led the United Nations for almost ten years. It was the first to use red ballots to mark votes from the five veto powers separately. The deadlock leaves open the possibility that new candidates could enter the race. US officials have reportedly signalled that they consider none of the current candidates ideal, with the Trump administration focused on radical reform of the UN and withdrawal from multiple UN agencies.

How it is being reported

• Latest vote shows no candidate for UN chief has the required support of all five key powersThe latest straw poll in the selection of the next U.N. secretary-general has shown that none of the seven candidates has the support of all five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, who have veto power.Clickorlando · 17 Oct, 02:46
• Latest vote shows no candidate for UN chief has the required support of all five key powersThe latest straw poll in the selection of the next U.N. secretary-general has shown that none of the seven candidates has the support of all five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, who have veto power.News4Jax · 17 Oct, 02:46

In this story: António Guterres · Rebeca Grynspan · Rafael Grossi · Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett · United Nations · UN Security Council · Costa Rica · Argentina

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