UN Top Job: 'Decisive' Straw Poll to Be Held on Monday

The United Nations Security Council is set to conduct an informal vote on Monday, September 26, that is thought to be decisive in the race for the next UN Secretary General.

The ambassadors of 15 countries to the UN (the 15 ones currently in the Security Council) will be able to "encourage", "discourage" or give "no opinion" each one of the nine candidates.

Irina Bokova, the Bulgarian candidacy, slumped to the "fifth position" (by number of encourage votes) in the previous straw poll early in September, down from the third place in an earlier vote, with her performance fuelling speculation the Bulgarian government might raise instead the nomination of Kristalina Georgieva, the EU Commission Vice President for Budget and Human Resources.

Sofia said Bokova would remain the Bulgarian candidate, but gave hear a "deadline" until September 26 to improve her standing in the straw poll where former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres and Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak currently have the best results.

Some sources consider Georgieva to be a possible "late entry" in the race.

Regardless of the September 26 results, which may lead a number of candidates to leave the race after being "discouraged", another poll in October will be even more crucial as the five permanent UNSC members (who have veto powers) will be handed out coloured ballots and will be able to discourage them publicly.

Each of the five permanent members has to approve (or refrain from blocking) any candidate.