UN could get its first female chief in 80 years:8 candidates remain, 5 are women; Guyana’s Birkett leads the race

The process of choosing the next United Nations Secretary-General has begun. In the second round of informal voting held on Friday, Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett is in the lead, while Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan is in second place. There are currently eight candidates in the race, including five women. This means that, for the first time in the UN’s 80-year history, a woman could become Secretary-General. The second five-year term of current UN Secretary-General António Guterres will end on 31 December 2026. The next Secretary-General will take over after him. How is the UN Secretary-General elected? The UN Secretary-General is not directly elected by the public or by all UN member states. The process begins with the UN Security Council, which considers the candidates. Several rounds of informal and secret voting, known as straw polls, are held. The 15 Security Council members indicate whether they support, oppose or have no opinion on each candidate. These are not formal elections. They are used to assess how much support each candidate has. Candidates who receive less support may withdraw from the race. The Security Council has 15 members, and at least nine votes are needed for a candidate to move forward. However, receiving nine votes alone is not enough to become Secretary-General. Support from UNSC permanent members is essential to become Secretary-General The five permanent members of the Security Council are the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France. They have veto power, meaning opposition from even one of these countries can become a major obstacle for a candidate. Therefore, candidates need support from as many countries as possible while also ensuring that none of the five permanent members strongly opposes them. Once enough consensus is reached through voting and discussions, the Security Council formally recommends a candidate. The name is then sent to the UN General Assembly, which has all 193 UN member states. The General Assembly approves the appointment. In many cases, this is done unanimously without a formal vote. Once approved, the candidate becomes the UN Secretary-General. The usual term is five years, and the person can be re-elected for a second term. Why has no one from developed countries become Secretary-General yet? 1. Regional balance The UN has traditionally tried to ensure that the Secretary-General’s post rotates among different regions of the world. This is intended to prevent any one region from dominating the position. In 1997, the General Assembly also stated that opportunities should be given to different regions while choosing the Secretary-General, along with consideration for gender equality. However, this is not a fixed rule. 2. Impartial face The UN Secretary-General is seen as the impartial face of the international organisation. If a senior leader from a major power such as the US or China became Secretary-General, other countries could feel that the country’s influence over the UN had increased. 3. Growing influence of developing countries The UN General Assembly has 193 member states, many of them developing countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America. These countries therefore want the head of the UN to represent the wider international community rather than appear to be mainly representing Western countries. However, this does not mean candidates from developed countries are excluded. In 1991, candidates from developed countries such as Canada, the Netherlands and Norway were also in the race. In 2016, António Guterres of Portugal became Secretary-General, despite strong demands at the time for the post to go to an Eastern European candidate. Why don’t developed countries get the UN Secretary-General post? 1. An effort to give every region a chance The United Nations tries to ensure that the Secretary-General’s post goes to countries from different parts of the world. In other words, the same region should not get the post every time. This also helps other countries feel that the UN belongs to everyone. In 1997, the UN General Assembly also said that different regions and gender equality should be considered when choosing the Secretary-General. However, this is not a fixed rule. 2. The Secretary-General should not appear to represent one major power The Secretary-General is seen as the face of the entire world. So, if a senior leader from a major power such as the US or China gets the post, other countries may fear that the country’s influence over the UN could increase. This is why preference is often given to someone who is not seen as being too close to any one major power. 3. There are more countries from Asia and Africa The United Nations has 193 member countries. Many of them are from Asia, Africa and Latin America. These countries also want the UN chief to understand not just the views of Europe or America, but also the concerns and voices of other parts of the world. However, this does not mean people from developed countries have never had a chance. In 1991, candidates from Canada, the Netherlands and Norway were also in the race for Secretary-General. In 2016, Portugal’s António Guterres became Secretary-General. At the time, there was also strong demand for the post to go to someone from Eastern Europe. Shashi Tharoor was also a contender from India in 2006 Indian MP Shashi Tharoor was also a candidate for the post of UN Secretary-General. In 2006, the Manmohan Singh government nominated him for the position. Tharoor had been working at the UN since 1978. India highlighted his long experience at the organisation and his understanding of international affairs as his key strengths. India also argued that the next Secretary-General should come from Asia. India sought support for Tharoor from countries around the world. Then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wrote to several world leaders, while Tharoor himself met leaders from different countries. However, he did not win the race. In the informal voting, Tharoor finished second, while South Korea’s Ban Ki-moon remained in the lead throughout the process.