After months of speculation, the race to become the next UN Secretary-General has reached the point at which support for the official contenders is being tested where it really counts. Two rounds of straw balloting, in which countries are invited to “encourage” or “discourage” the candidacy of each nominee, have already been held by the Security Council. Another is scheduled for next week. Perhaps surprisingly, at a time when the UN is under pressure to appoint its first woman head and recognise the principle of regional rotation by giving priority to candidates from eastern Europe, the apparent frontrunner is neither a woman nor from eastern Europe. He is Antonio Guterres, the former prime minister of Portugal who completed his second term as UN High Commissioner for Refugees last year.
在经历了数月的猜测之后，联合国(UN)秘书长的竞选已达到这样一个节点：对正式竞选者的支持正在关键地方受到考验。联合国安理会(UN Security Council)已主持过两轮意向性投票，即邀请各国选择“鼓励”或“不鼓励”每位被提名人竞选。下周还会再安排一次意向性投票。目前，联合国正面临着任命首位女性领导人、以及认可地区轮流原则的压力，后者要求它优先考虑东欧地区的候选人。然而一个也许令人惊异的事实是，目前看上去领先的被提名人却既不是女性，也不是东欧人。他就是去年刚刚结束了联合国难民事务高级专员(UN High Commissioner for Refugees)第二任期的葡萄牙前总理安东尼奥•古特雷斯(Antonio Guterres)。