UN Launches Formal Process To Select Next Secretary-General

The official process to select the next UN Secretary-General began on Tuesday, as member states were invited to nominate candidates to succeed António Guterres for the term starting January 1, 2027. The procedure was launched through a joint letter from the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council, circulated to all UN member states and published on November 25, 2025.

Under the rules, candidates must be nominated by a member state or a coalition of member states. Each nominee is required to submit a vision statement, a curriculum vitae, and full disclosures of campaign financing. The President of the General Assembly will also hold live, publicly webcast dialogues with all candidates.

So far, publicly announced contenders include former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet, Costa Rica’s former vice president Rebeca Grynspan, and Argentine diplomat Rafael Grossi. A candidate can only advance with the unanimous support of the five permanent Security Council members—the United States, Russia, China, Britain, and France—each of whom holds veto power.

Many countries have expressed support for choosing a woman for the role. UN leaders noted “with regret that no woman has ever held the position of Secretary-General” and urged member states “to strongly consider nominating women.” The Security Council’s formal selection phase is expected to begin by the end of July 2026. The Secretary-General serves a five-year term and may be reappointed once.