Rebeca Grynspan, a Costa Rican diplomat and former vice president whose parents were Holocaust refugees from Poland, has positioned herself as the frontrunner to become the United Nations’ first female secretary general. Grynspan currently serves as head of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The selection comes as the current secretary general, António Guterres, approaches the end of his second term on 31 December 2026. Under an informal regional rotation system, Latin America is expected to provide the next leader.
In a confidential initial straw poll of the UN Security Council, Grynspan received 10 “encourage” votes, four “no opinion” votes, and one “discourage” vote among the 15 council members. Her closest competitor is Carolyn Rodrigues-Burkett, Guyana’s former UN envoy, who garnered nine encouraging votes, two discouraging votes, and four neutral positions. The selection process is anticipated to conclude in October.
If elected, Grynspan would be the first Jewish secretary general in UN history. She has drawn upon her family’s experience as refugees to advocate for peace and conflict resolution. Her personal connection to the Middle East includes family members living in Israel, though under her UNCTAD leadership the organization has documented substantial economic damage to Palestinian territories resulting from Israeli occupation policies and military operations.
The election occurs during a period of significant challenge for multilateral institutions, as the UN undergoes substantial budget reductions and faces questions about its relevance and effectiveness. The secretary general position traditionally requires endorsement from all five permanent Security Council members and at least nine total affirmative votes. Additional Security Council meetings are scheduled to assess candidate viability before a final election must occur by year’s end.
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