Michelle Bachelet withdraws from UN secretary-general race
The former Chilean president announced her withdrawal on September 19, 2026, after weak support in informal Security Council polling.
In short
- The former Chilean president announced her withdrawal on September 19, 2026, after weak support in informal Security Council polling.
Michelle Bachelet withdrew from the contest to become the next United Nations secretary-general on September 19, 2026, ending the former Chilean president’s bid to succeed António Guterres.
Bachelet announced the decision in a social-media video. The Guardian reported that she intended to continue her international work. ANSA independently reported her withdrawal on September 19 and said she thanked the presidents of Brazil and Mexico for their support.
Her departure followed weak results in informal Security Council polling. According to The Guardian, a third straw poll held on September 18 left her with little support and placed Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan in the lead. Those consultations are part of the selection process and do not constitute an appointment.
Bachelet served twice as Chile’s president and later as the UN’s high commissioner for human rights. Her exit leaves seven candidates in the contest, The Guardian reported on September 20, while further candidates may still enter.
Guterres’s second term ends on December 31, 2026. The Security Council must recommend a candidate to the General Assembly, which makes the appointment.
