World · 9 August 2026
Costa Rican diplomat leads race to be first female UN head
Angela Prescott-Decie via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
Rebeca Grynspan, a former vice-president, is the surprise frontrunner to become the UN's first female secretary general. In a confidential initial straw poll conducted by the UN Security Council, she garnered 10 "encourage" votes against just one "discourage" vote. António Guterres, the incumbent secretary general, concludes his tenure on 31 December 2026, marking the end of his second term.
Reported by Guardian · How we write briefs