Turkey nominates OSCE chief Feridun Sinirlioğlu as its candidate for UN Secretary‑General

Updated 1 min 4 sec ago

October 31, 2026 23:46

ISTANBUL – Turkey has nominated Feridun Hadi Sinirlioğlu, the Secretary‑General of the Organization for Security and Co‑operation in Europe (OSCE), as its candidate for the next United Nations Secretary‑General, the official Anadolu news agency reported on Saturday.

The nomination follows the submission of a formal letter from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to the presidents of the UN General Assembly and Security Council on Friday, according to Turkish foreign ministry sources cited by Anadolu.

Sinirlioğlu, a veteran diplomat, currently leads the Vienna‑based OSCE, an intergovernmental organization focused on political dialogue and conflict prevention.

Turkey’s move comes amid a stalemate in the UN selection process. A recent straw poll in the Security Council on Friday failed to produce a clear winner, the sources said.

The incumbent UN chief, Portugal’s António Guterres, will conclude his second five‑year term on 31 December. Any new Secretary‑General must secure at least nine affirmative votes from the 15 Council members while also avoiding a veto from the five permanent members, whose positions remain divided.

If a candidate meets these hurdles, the name will be forwarded to the UN General Assembly for a final confirmation vote by all member states.

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