Guterres says UN deadlock persists as some Security Council powers "violate international law"

Michelle Bachelet, Chile’s former president, ended her bid Saturday to lead the United Nations, after a third unofficial Security Council ballot gave her one supportive vote and 11 opposed. Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan leads the still-open contest, followed by Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett. A candidate must receive at least nine council votes, avoid a permanent-member veto, and then win General Assembly approval; the next chief will replace António Guterres on Dec. 31. Guterres has cautioned that rifts among big powers—some of which he said break international rules while holding council seats—have blocked U.N. action on Gaza, Ukraine and other crises, and that settling the succession alone will not repair that paralysis.