Rodrigues Birkett Takes Early Lead in UN Secretary-General Race After Second Straw Poll
Guyana’s Ambassador Rodrigues Birkett leads the UN Security Council’s second non-binding straw poll in the race to succeed Antonio Guterres, with eight 'encourage' votes and others close behind (Grynspan and Grossi each had seven); the process remains non-binding and iterative, as the council narrows the field toward a formal recommendation for the General Assembly before Guterres’ December 31 departure.