Rebeca Grynspan ahead in informal poll for UN chief

Rebeca Grynspan narrowly topped an indicative poll of the UN's most powerful body, the Security Council, on Friday as it chooses the embattled organisation's next leader, according to a diplomatic source.

Grynspan – Costa Rica's former vice president who has taken leave from her post at the UN trade and development body (UNCTAD) to campaign for secretary-general – also came top in the first secret straw poll. Guyanese ex-foreign minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett pulled ahead in the second.

Several countries on the 15-member Council have declared their desire for the embattled UN to have its first ever woman leader when the current Secretary-General Antonio Guterres concludes his term at the end of December.

Grynspan won nine "encourage" votes, but still faced a groundswell of opposition receiving five votes of "discourage," and one of "no opinion," the diplomatic source said. Rodrigues-Birkett received eight votes of encouragement, six of discouragement and single vote of no opinion, the source added.

Just one vote of "discourage" from a veto wielding permanent council member – Britain, China, France, Russia or the United States – would scupper a candidate's chances. There is speculation that a compromise candidate could be parachuted into the process at the behest of the five permanent members.

Others in the race are the current head of the UN nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, Macky Sall of Senegal, Ecuador's Ivonne A-Baki, Chile's Michelle Bachelet, Ecuador's Maria Fernanda Espinosa and Uganda's Olara Otunnu.

International Crisis Group's Daniel Forti said it was thought there would be another straw poll at the end of the UN's signature high-level week due to get underway Tuesday. Once a candidate clears the Security Council's hurdles, their name will go to the General Assembly of all UN members for confirmation.