Macky Sall's UN Secretary-General bid faces setback in second straw poll
The results of the second straw poll for the next UN Secretary-General, held on August 21, 2026, indicate a challenging path for former Senegalese President Macky Sall. Sall, the sole West African candidate, received 6 "encourage" votes, 7 "discourage" votes, and 2 "no opinion" votes, placing him fourth among eight candidates. This outcome shows more unfavorable votes than favorable ones, contrasting with initial expectations for his candidacy. Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett leads the poll with 8 "encourage" votes, followed by Rebeca Grynspan and Rafael Grossi. Grynspan had also led the first poll on July 30. Other candidates include Olara Otunnu, María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, Michelle Bachelet, and Ivonne A-Baki. For a candidate to ultimately succeed, they must secure at least nine favorable votes without a veto from any of the five permanent Security Council members. Macky Sall's current position suggests he is far from this threshold. The possibility of new candidacies emerging due to persistent deadlock has also been mentioned by Russia, leaving room for further developments before António Guterres' successor is designated, as his second term concludes on December 31, 2026.
