The selection of the next UN Secretary-General in 2026 is officially more transparent than ever. Yet a new analysis by the Kyiv Post argues that real decision-making power still lies with the UN Security Council – especially its five permanent members: the United States, China, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom. Terms like “leadership change” or “nomination” obscure the gap between procedural openness and genuine political access, the analysis says.
Five candidates, three women – a first
The selection process has become more open since 2016. On April 21 and 22, 2026, interactive dialogues with four of the five nominated candidates took place at UN headquarters in New York: Michelle Bachelet Jeria (Chile), Rafael Mariano Grossi (Argentina), Rebeca Grynspan Mayufis (Costa Rica), and Macky Sall (Senegal). A fifth candidate, Maria Fernanda Espinosa (Ecuador), was nominated after the dialogues. For the first time, three of the five candidates are women – a historic step long demanded by women’s organizations, as no woman has ever led the UN.
Power remains with the Security Council
The public dialogues allowed member states and civil society organizations to hear the candidates’ visions and ask questions. However, the analysis stresses that visibility should not be confused with access. The fact that a process allows more transparency and participation does not mean that power within the process has been redistributed. The decisive political body remains the UN Security Council.
The UN Secretary-General is the chief administrative officer of the UN Secretariat, managing a budget of $3.5 billion for operations and programs. The position is not achieved simply through merit or seniority, but through public visibility, political recognition, state support, negotiations, and the ability to navigate formal and informal power filters.
Importance for smaller states and Ukraine
While large nations like the United States and China would not miss the UN if it disappeared, the organization provides more than 190 smaller states with expertise, capacity, and a network otherwise unavailable. Ukraine, such international institutions are particularly important, the analysis says. Debate on the candidates begins in July 2026, with the final decision on the nomination in the fall. The next Secretary-General will begin a five-year term on January 1, 2027, after Antonio Guterres’ term ends on December 31, 2026.
Source: www.kyivpost.com
