Rafael Grossi Faces Obstacle in UN Bid as Permanent Members Signal Opposition

Argentina's Rafael Grossi and other leading contenders face opposition from permanent members of the United Nations Security Council in the latest informal poll.

Argentina’s Rafael Grossi faces an obstacle in his bid to become the next United Nations secretary-general after two permanent members of the Security Council signalled opposition to his candidacy in the latest informal poll.

The 65-year-old diplomat remains a contender to become the next head of the UN, but his candidacy is increasingly entangled in a diplomatic impasse after the sixth round of informal voting exposed divisions among the Security Council’s most powerful members. Grossi, who heads the International Atomic Energy Agency, received eight votes in favour and six against in the latest ballot, while two permanent members signalled opposition.

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Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan and Guyana’s former foreign minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett were also confirmed as leading contenders, but both faced the same fundamental obstacle of opposition from permanent members capable of blocking their appointments. Friday’s ballot marked the first time the informal polling mechanism distinguished the votes of permanent members from those of the 10 elected members, using coloured ballots for the five permanent powers.

Under Security Council rules, a candidate needs at least nine votes from the 15-member body and must avoid a veto from any permanent member. Grynspan received nine votes in favour, while Rodrigues-Birkett and Grossi each received eight, leaving the competition without a clear consensus candidate amid wider geopolitical rivalries and discussions over regional representation.

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