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Race for New U.N. Secretary-General Intensifies as P5 Powers Keep Tight Control

A more public contest now faces the deciding power of the five permanent Security Council members and risks of last‑minute P5 bargaining that could delay the appointment.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the 77th session of the General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, Sept. 20, 2022. (AP Photo by Mary Altaffer)
U.S. President Harry S. Truman addresses the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Oct. 24, 1950. Behind him are (from left) Secretary-General Trygve Lie; Nasrollah Entezam of Iran, president of the General Assembly; and Andrew Cordier, executive assistant to the secretary-general.
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Overview

  • António Guterres will leave the United Nations on Dec. 31, 2026, and the selection process is active with eight publicly known candidates still in the running as of Wednesday.
  • Security Council straw polls, where the five permanent members cast decisive red ballots, remain the key filter for who can be recommended to the General Assembly.
  • Reforms since 2016 have made the contest more visible by requiring vision statements, televised town halls and General Assembly 'interactive dialogues' for candidates.
  • Diplomatic reporting says the United States and Russia prefer a controllable administrator and could push or inject names late in the process, creating pressure on independent candidates.
  • The next secretary-general will inherit budget strains and multiple conflicts that limit bold initiatives, and the Security Council may not forward a single candidate between October and December if the P5 cannot agree.