The UN Security Council elected former Portuguese PM António Guterres as UN Secretary-General today (5 October). According to leaked information from the secret vote, he received 13 votes in favour from the 15 members of the Council, and two “without opinion”.
Breaking: UN Security Council united around choice for next Secretary-General—Antonio Guterres. pic.twitter.com/phMxjLb9OI
— Samantha Power (@AmbassadorPower) October 5, 2016
The decision came as a big surprise, because although Guterres ranked first in all five straw polls held so far, it was assumed that a woman from Eastern Europe would be elected. This is why Commission Vice-President Kristalina Georgieva joined the race, pushed forward by the EPP, and personally supported by Angela Merkel.
What happened to #Russia's insistence on a female Eastern European candidate? #UNSG #NextSG #UNSC #strawpoll
— Angel Petrov (@angel_a_petrov) October 5, 2016
Georgieva’s results were appallingly disappointing. She ranked 7th, obtaining 5 votes in favour, eight votes against, including two from permanent members of the Security Council (P5), and two “without opinion”.
@GeorgiGotev Harmed also the EU as such plus @JunckerEU, @KGeorgieva, @MartinSelmayr and above all Merkel when she parachuted #KG4SG
— Dragan Barbutovski (@DraganBrBr) October 5, 2016
Undoubtedly, this will be a disappointment for Georgieva, and a humiliation for the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, who withdrew the candidacy of Irina Bokova, the UNESCO Director General.
#UNSG Guterres=big blow for Merkel, EPP, after big lobbying for Georgieva. Embarrassment 4 Bulgaria's Borisov who switched to her frm Bokova
— Neil Buckley (@NeilRBuckley) October 5, 2016
Bokova was the woman candidate with the best score, and 4th overall, with 7 votes in support, 6 against, including 2 from the P5, and 1 “without opinion”.
Slovakia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miroslav Lajčák, came second, with 6 votes in favour, 6 against, of which 2 vetoes came from the P5, and two “without opinion”.
Full #NextSG results – Guterres – 13-0-2; Lacjak 7-6-2 (2vetoes); Jeremic 7-6-2(3v); Bokova 7-7-1(2v); Clark 6-8-1(3v); (cont'd) #voaalert
— Margaret Besheer (@mbesheer) October 5, 2016
Coming in third was Serbia’s Vuk Jeremić, who obtained 7 votes against, of which 3 vetos came from the P5, and 2 “without opinion”.
New Zealand’s Helen Clarke ranked fifth, followed by Argentina’s Susana Malcorra, Georgieva, Slovenia’s Danilo Turk, Macedonia’s Srgjan Kerim, and Moldova’s Natalia Gherman.
#NextSG: Malcorra 5-7-3 (1v); Georgieva 5-8-2 (2v); Turk 5-8-2 (4v); Kerim 5-9-1 (3v); Gherman 3-11-1 (3v) #voaalert
— Margaret Besheer (@mbesheer) October 5, 2016
#Guterres new #UNSG! Congratulations. He was by far the most convincing candidate.
— Victor ANGELO (@vangelofreebird) October 5, 2016
According to Reuters, Bokova ranks second, while Georgieva is ninth.
Thanks to #KG4SG @KGeorgieva parachuting on the race «Clean» Election for the #NextSG Gets Dirty https://t.co/KErTmcIYH4 @UN_PGA pic.twitter.com/qoO7tfYQ82
— Connect SDGs (@ConnectSDGs) October 5, 2016