The United Nations is set to choose its next secretary-general, a role often described as the world's top diplomat. Current Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister, will finish his second five-year term on December 31, 2026. The new leader will take office on January 1, 2027.
The secretary-general is appointed by the 193-member General Assembly on the recommendation of the 15-member Security Council. The five permanent council members – the United States, Britain, France, China, and Russia – each have veto power. By tradition, no candidate comes from these countries. The position has also informally rotated among regions. The last secretary-general from Latin America left in 1991, leading many to argue the next should come from that region.
Six candidates are in the race. Five are from Latin America and the Caribbean: Michelle Bachelet (former president of Chile), Maria Fernanda Espinosa (former General Assembly president from Ecuador), Rafael Grossi (head of the International Atomic Energy Agency from Argentina), Rebeca Grynspan (UN trade official from Costa Rica), and Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett (Guyana's UN ambassador). The sixth is Macky Sall, former president of Senegal.
The next secretary-general will face major challenges. The UN is under financial strain after the US withheld its contributions, leading to budget cuts and warnings of a cash shortage by July 2026. The Security Council has been deadlocked over wars in Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine. The new leader will need to mediate conflicts, manage the organization, and uphold the UN Charter amid growing criticism of the international system.