A first informal U.N. Security Council vote today showed former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan as the early leader in the race to become the next secretary-general of the United Nations, followed by former Guyanese Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, diplomats told Reuters.
Reuters said that Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, was in surprise third place among the seven candidates for the post, a diplomat said. In the non-binding “straw poll” voting by the 15 members of the Security Council, Grynspan received 10 “encourage” votes to nine for Rodrigues-Birkett and seven for Grossi, Reuters added.
Reuters said that in the straw polls, of which multiple rounds are expected, Security Council members are asked in secret ballots whether they “encourage,” “discourage” or have “no opinion” on each candidate.
Diplomats said Grynspan also received one “discourage” vote and four no-opinion votes. Rodrigues-Birkett received two discourage votes and four no-opinions, while Grossi received two discourage votes and six no-opinions.
In the early rounds of straw polls, identical ballots are used, allowing diplomats to see overall levels of support and opposition without revealing whether negative votes came from one of the Council’s five veto-wielding permanent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – whose support is vital.
The other candidates are former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, former Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa, former Senegalese President Macky Sall, and Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu, who entered the race last week.
Two diplomats told Reuters the results were encouraging for Grynspan – assuming her single discourage vote did not come from a veto-holding permanent member of the Security Council, while another added: “Birkett is the surprise there. If the two discourage are not P5, she could sneak in.”
Another diplomat said the straw poll revealed “no consensus” on any one candidate.
At a later stage in the process, the five permanent members use ballots of a different colour from elected members that reveal whether a candidate has received a “discourage” vote from one of them.
The Security Council ultimately adopts a resolution, traditionally behind closed doors, recommending an appointment to the 193-member U.N. General Assembly. Reuters said that this needs nine votes in favour and no vetoes.
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