Rebeca Grynspan leads the trader consensus following her strong performance in the latest Security Council straw poll on September 18, where she received nine encourage votes compared to eight for Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett. The ongoing selection process for the successor to António Guterres, whose term ends December 31, 2026, favors candidates from the Latin American and Caribbean Group under informal regional rotation norms. Multiple rounds of closed-door polls and interactive dialogues have narrowed focus to these two frontrunners, both women with multilateral diplomatic experience, amid broader member state interest in gender balance. Other nominees trail due to lower support levels in the same ballots, with the Council continuing consultations ahead of a formal recommendation to the General Assembly.