The six officially declared candidates to succeed António Guterres participated in a public debate at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday, July 23, 2026. Organized before the General Assembly, this exchange is part of the process of selecting the next Secretary-General. Broadcast live, the event aimed to present the visions of the contenders before the opening of a new phase of consultations at the Security Council, whose members will have to come to a consensus before transmitting a name to the General Assembly for approval.
Gathered at the UN headquarters, the six candidates answered questions from member states and civil society organizations during a 90-minute public debate titled “UN Public Forum: The Next Secretary-General.” This sequence, organized with a stated commitment to transparency and inclusivity, adds to the interactive dialogues already held with the candidates as part of the designation process.
During the exchanges, several common priorities emerged, including the need to restore the credibility of the Organization, in a context marked by multiple international conflicts and a financial crisis that the UN itself describes as “existential.”
Institutional reform was a central theme in the interventions. Several candidates highlighted the continuation of ongoing reforms to make the UN more effective, more responsive, and better able to achieve concrete results on the ground.
The candidates also advocated, to varying degrees, for multilateralism, conflict prevention, and respect for international law. Some emphasized the need for the future Secretary-General to make their voice heard, including in the face of major powers, while others focused more on mediation, prevention, and rebuilding trust among member states.
Asked to explain why they were best suited for this role, the six contenders highlighted their respective backgrounds: Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile and former High Commissioner for Human Rights; Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency; Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UNCTAD; María Fernanda Espinosa, former President of the General Assembly; Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Permanent Representative of Guyana to the UN; and Macky Sall, former President of Senegal.
At this stage, no clear favorite seems to have emerged. According to several observers, this public debate mainly served to present the profiles and priorities of the candidates, without disrupting the balance of the race. The next step is set to begin on July 30 with a first indicative vote behind closed doors at the Security Council. To be selected, a candidate must obtain at least nine votes without being vetoed by any of the five permanent members.
In summary, this debate highlighted three major axes: the desire to reform the UN, the commitment to multilateralism and international law, and the need to restore confidence in an organization facing strong geopolitical and budgetary tensions.
