• Analysis
Turkey's UN Secretary-General Nominee: Feridun Sinirlioglu
Turkey has put forward former foreign minister and UN ambassador Feridun Sinirlioglu as its Turkey UN secretary-general nominee, state-run media reported on Saturday, October 31, 2026, with backing from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
A career diplomat's path
Turkey's UN nomination went in on Saturday, October 31, 2026, as reported by state-run media. Ahmet Yildiz, Turkey's current representative to the UN, told the Anadolu news agency that the name was officially submitted with the backing of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The candidate brings long diplomatic experience:
- •He is 70 and floated his candidacy on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly's high-level meeting in New York last month.
- •He served as Turkey's top diplomat for a few months in 2015, an interim period between elections.
- •He was Turkey's UN ambassador from 2016 to 2023.
- •He now heads the Vienna-based Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, where his three-year mandate ends in December 2027.
How the next secretary-general is chosen
The successor to Antonio Guterres, who has led the UN for almost 10 years, would take office on January 1. The decision rests with the 15-nation UN Security Council, above all its five veto-wielding members: the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France. The 193-member General Assembly must then give final approval.
Sinirlioglu is not alone in the race:
- •Seven other candidates are also competing for the post Guterres is leaving after two five-year terms.
- •An informal regional rotation of the UN's top job favours the Latin American and Caribbean region, so a candidate from there could be chosen instead.
Erdogan's push for reform and likely obstacles
Erdogan has long argued that the UN needs change, criticising in particular the dominance of the Security Council's five permanent members. The organisation he would lead faces pressure to reform: it has been sidelined in wars in Iran, Ukraine and Gaza, while a financial crisis is forcing major cuts to humanitarian and development programs.
The nomination will likely face obstacles from several corners, including Turkey's neighbor Greece, one of the 10 elected Security Council members, and expected pushback from Israel, a close US ally. The Security Council, notably its five veto-wielding members, will decide the choice, with the General Assembly giving final approval for a January 1 start succeeding Antonio Guterres.
