[Source: Reuters]

An informal poll by the United Nations Security CouncilThe first and third polls, ​held in July and September, also showed Grynspan narrowly ahead while ⁠an August poll placed Guyana’s UN ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett in the top spot.

placed former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan as the ‌frontrunner in the race to become the 10th UN secretary-general, sources close to the process said.

The fourth secret poll by the 15-member Security Council followed the gathering of world leaders at ​the General Assembly in New York last week.

After ​former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet dropped out of the race this month, seven ​candidates are vying to succeed Antonio Guterres.

The former Portuguese prime minister steps down at the end of this year after two five-year terms. More candidates could still enter the race.

Whoever wins ​will have to tackle multiple crises, including several wars, cutbacks in American contributions ​to the UN, and the UN’s declining political relevance.

Ultimately, the five Security Council veto powers — the ‌United States, ⁠China, Russia, France and Britain — need to agree on a candidate. When Guterres was chosen in 2016, it took six straw polls for the Security Council to reach agreement.

The Security Council will eventually formally recommend a candidate to the 193-member ​General Assembly for election. ​The assembly has ⁠long been expected to approve the council’s choice.

In the more than 80-year history of the UN, there has never been a female ​secretary-general.

In the straw polls, which are expected to continue for ​several more ⁠rounds, Security Council members are asked on secret ballots if they “encourage,” “discourage” or have “no opinion” on candidates.

Grynspan received 10 encourage votes, three discourage and two no opinion. Rodrigues-Birkett received ⁠eight encourage ​votes, six discourage and one no opinion, sources ​close to the process said.

Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, the high-profile director general of the UN nuclear watchdog, also ​received eight encourage and seven discourage votes.