The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) convened to hold its second informal straw poll as member states evaluate a growing field of contenders vying to succeed outgoing Secretary-General Antonio Guterres when his term concludes on December 31.
The secret ballot provided the 15-member council with a key opportunity to measure shifting international support among the candidates.
Under long-standing regional rotation traditions, widespread expectations favour a new chief from Latin America and the Caribbean.
The competitive shortlist includes former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet, former Ecuadorian foreign minister María Fernanda Espinosa, former Guyanese foreign minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi of Argentina and former Senegalese president Macky Sall.
Former Ecuadorian minister Ivonne A-Baki also entered the race following the initial voting round.
Front-runners, trade chief momentum
Geneva Solutions highlighted that UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan, a former Costa Rican vice president, emerged as an early front-runner following the first informal council poll on July 30.
Analysts also noted that diplomatic focus remains centered on whether top contenders can consolidate their broad momentum or if voting distributions will fluctuate amidst evolving geopolitical preferences.
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Push for historic female leadership
The ongoing selection process has reignited long-standing calls for organisational reform and leadership diversity.
An analysis by the Christian Science Monitor pointed out that after eight decade-long tenures held exclusively by men, pressure has intensified across member states to elect the first female Secretary-General in the history of the United Nations.
The informal straw poll system requires each Security Council member to anonymously mark whether they “encourage,” “discourage,” or have “no opinion” on each candidate.
To earn a formal recommendation to the UN General Assembly, a candidate must secure at least nine affirmative votes without receiving a veto from any of the five permanent council members.
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Levi Mora 
KC Maderia 
Jheruleene Anne Ramos