Michelle Bachelet withdraws from race to become UN secretary general

Michelle Bachelet, former president of Chile, has withdrawn her candidacy for UN secretary general. She announced her decision on Instagram, stating she will continue her international work. Bachelet, who also served as UN human rights chief, had campaigned on defending multilateralism and international law. Her withdrawal follows a collapse in support during an informal straw poll, which saw Costa Rica's Rebeca Grynspan emerge as the leading candidate. Bachelet's exit leaves seven candidates in the race to succeed António Guterres, whose term ends on December 31st. The UN Security Council will formally recommend a single candidate to the General Assembly for election.

Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has withdrawn her candidacy for United Nations Secretary-General, ending her bid to be the first woman to lead the organization. She announced her decision on Saturday, stating that the "time was not right" for her candidacy. Bachelet's withdrawal follows a recent informal straw poll by the UN Security Council, where she received only one "encourage" vote and eleven "discourage" votes. This result contrasts with previous polls where she garnered more support. The poll indicated Costa Rica's Rebeca Grynspan is currently leading the race, with other candidates still in contention.