Türkiye nominates Sinirlioglu for UN secretary-general

ANKARA — Türkiye has nominated Feridun Hadi Sinirlioglu, leader of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), to become the next United Nations secretary-general, the country's official Anadolu news agency reported on Saturday, 31 October 2026.

A nomination letter dated Friday from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been submitted to the presidents of the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council, Anadolu said, citing Turkish foreign ministry sources. The agency did not publish the letter, and the sources did not describe its contents beyond the nomination itself.

The move came after a deadlock in the selection process. According to the same sources, the latest straw poll in the Security Council, held on Friday, produced an inconclusive result.

Background

The current secretary-general, Antonio Guterres of Portugal, ends his second five-year term on December 31. His successor is chosen through a process that runs through the Security Council and the General Assembly.

Under the process described by Middle East Eye, a candidate needs at least nine of the 15 Security Council votes. A candidate must also avoid a veto from any of the five permanent members, which are the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom. Middle East Eye reported that the five major powers are deeply divided.

Once a candidate clears the Security Council, the name goes to the General Assembly, where all UN members vote on confirmation.

The OSCE is a regional security body based in Vienna, covering Europe, Central Asia and North America. Sinirlioglu leads it in his current role.

Why it matters

If confirmed, Sinirlioglu would take charge of the UN's main administrative and diplomatic office for the next term, which begins on January 1. The post carries wide influence over UN peace efforts, including in conflicts affecting Muslim-majority countries, though the sources did not address any specific policy he would pursue.

What happens next

The sources did not give a date for the next Security Council straw poll or for any General Assembly vote. Neither Anadolu nor Middle East Eye reported whether other countries have put forward candidates in response, or how Security Council members have reacted to the Turkish nomination.

A separate post on Telegram by the Al Arabiya channel described Türkiye as pushing Sinirlioglu forward in a "tricky race" for the UN leadership. The post did not include further details, and the channel's claims could not be checked against other sources.