By Antoni Slodkowski
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 16 (Reuters) – An informal poll by the United Nations Security Council on Friday placed former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan as the narrow frontrunner in the race to become the 10th UN secretary-general, two people close to the process said.
But there was no decisive winner as all candidates received two or more opposing votes from the ultimately decisive five permanent members of the council — Russia, China, the US, France and Britain — opening the door for new candidates to join the race, diplomats and observers said.
This was the sixth secret ballot organized by council officials, who have less than three months to pick the successor to UN boss Antonio Guterres, whose term ends on December 31.
Whoever wins will have to tackle multiple crises, including several wars, cutbacks in American contributions to the UN, and the 193-member body’s declining political relevance as Washington has pulled out of dozens of its agencies.
Securing the council’s recommendation requires at least nine positive votes of the 15 countries and no “discourage” votes from the five permanent members.
The race has entered a decisive stage, as Friday’s poll for the first time used color-coded ballots revealing whether a veto power opposes a candidate.
Four of five polls in recent months showed Grynspan, 70, narrowly ahead, with one poll in August placing Guyana’s UN ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett in the top spot.
This dynamic did not fundamentally change on Friday, with Grynspan receiving nine “encourage,” five “discourage” and one “no opinion” vote, with two of the five opposing votes coming from the Security Council’s permanent members, people close to the process said.
Birkett received eight votes in favor, six against, and one “no opinion,” with two opposing votes from the permanent members. Rafael Grossi, director general of the UN nuclear watchdog, received a near-identical result to Birkett, but with one fewer permanent member supporting his bid.
(Reporting by Antoni Slodkowski; Editing by Rod Nickel)
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