Portugal's António Guterres selected as next UN secretary-general

The 15 members of the United Nations Security Council unanimously agreed Wednesday that former Portuguese Prime Minister António Guterres will be the U.N.'s next secretary-general. The council will hold a formal vote Thursday morning to confirm Guterres, who Russian U.N. ambassador Vitaly Churkin said was a "clear favorite" among council members.
Guterres served as the U.N.'s high commissioner for refugees for a decade, where he consistently advocated for refugees throughout his tenure; he left that post in December 2015. He has already "vowed to carry on being a spokesman for the downtrodden if he became U.N. secretary-general," The Guardian reported. "You can't imagine what it is to see levels of suffering that are unimaginable," Guterres said last summer.
Guterres was up against nine other candidates, including European Commission vice president Kristalina Georgieva of Bulgaria, who would have been the first woman to be secretary-general. If the 193 members of the General Assembly approve him, Guterres will replace current secretary-general Ban Ki-moon at the beginning of next year.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What It Feels Like for a Girl: a 'fearless and compelling' coming-of-age drama
The Week Recommends Ellis Howard dazzles in this 'sharply written' adaptation of Paris Lees' memoir
-
Sports betting is causing athletes to be abused and harassed online
Under the radar Baseball players, tennis stars and others have raised the alarm
-
Crossword: June 4, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read