No UN secretary-general candidate has backing of all five veto powers

No candidate to succeed António Guterres as United Nations secretary-general has the backing of all five permanent Security Council members, according to the latest straw poll in the selection process — the sixth so far, and the first to use red ballots distinguishing the votes of the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.

Seven candidates remain in the race. The three front-runners — UN trade chief Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi of Argentina, and Guyana's ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett — each received two red "discourage" votes, according to two diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity. Grynspan, a former Costa Rican vice president, still topped the poll with nine "encourage" votes. Two African contenders, Uganda's Olara Otunnu and Senegal's former president Macky Sall, each drew ten "discourage" votes.

Guterres has led the organization for nearly ten years, and his mandate is running out with no mechanism to break the deadlock. By tradition the post rotates by region, and this is Latin America's turn; there is also pressure to elect the organization's first female secretary-general — though the two women at the bottom of Friday's poll fared worst.

US officials have made clear for weeks that none of the candidates suits the Trump administration, which is pursuing radical reform of the UN and withdrawal from multiple UN agencies. Ambassador Mike Waltz said the institution has "tried to become everything to everyone" and needs to be put "on a diet" back to its original focus on peace and security. Russia's ambassador Vassily Nebenzia left open the possibility of new candidates entering — as did Waltz, who nonetheless said he was confident the selection would be finished before the end of the year.

The next straw poll is scheduled for next week. The organization charged with securing world peace cannot yet appoint its own chief, because each of five governments can veto the choice.