NEW YORK — A new United Nations secretary-general will be elected next year for a five-year term starting on January 1, 2027.

Here are the potential candidates so far and how the successor to current UN chief Antonio Guterres will be chosen:

When does the process start?

The race formally started when the 15-member Security Council and the president of the 193-member General Assembly sent a joint letter soliciting nominations on Tuesday.

A candidate has to be nominated by a UN member state.The job traditionally rotates among regions, but when Guterres — who is from Portugal — was elected in 2016, it was supposed to be Eastern Europe’s turn. Next on the list is Latin America; however, some diplomats expect candidates from other regions.

Who wants to be the next secretary-general?

There are several publicly declared candidates:

Michelle Bachelet — Chile: Chile will nominate the country’s former President Michelle Bachelet, President Gabriel Boric said on September 23. Bachelet was Chile’s first female head of state and served as president of the South American nation twice. Bachelet was UN high commissioner for human rights between 2018-2022 and executive director of UN women between 2010-2013.

Rebeca Grynspan — Costa Rica: Costa Rica will nominate former Vice President Rebeca Grynspan, President Rodrigo Chaves said on October 8. Grynspan, a 69-year-old politician and economist, currently serves as Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Rafael Grossi — Argentina: Grossi has long said he was considering campaigning to be secretary-general. When asked by Reuters on September 3, if he was definitely going to run, he said: “Yes, I am going to do that, yes.” A veteran Argentine diplomat, Grossi is director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a role he has held since 2019.