France, Aug. 21 -- Costa Rica's Rebeca Grynspan was the front-runner after last month's first informal vote, in which the council's 15 members, including the five with veto power, pass judgment in secret on the candidates.

Argentina's Rafael Grossi - the current head of the UN nuclear watchdog - is also a candidate along with Chile's Michelle Bachelet, Ecuador's Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Guyana's Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Uganda's Olara Otunnu and Senegal's Macky Sall.

After the first round concluded, Ecuador's Ivonne A-Baki threw her hat into the race to succeed Antonio Guterres, who will complete his second five-year term on December 31, 2026.

"While the first straw poll set the scene for the Secretary-General race, the second may gi...