UN Secretary General position

Helen Clark's bid to become UN Secretary-General over

RNZ reports the former Portuguese prime minister is poised to take up the role after none of the five UN Security Council veto powers voted against him in a sixth secret ballot, diplomats said.

Helen Clark ended up fifth overall but three of the permanent Security Council members voted against her, effectively vetoing her selection.

Helen Clark may withdraw from UN SG race

New Zealand Herald reports the former New Zealand Prime Minister slipped from sixth place to seventh place out of 11 candidates.

Clark hinted in a tweet she would be reconsidering her candidacy: “Disappointed by outcome. Will discuss over coming days.”

New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully said any decision was entirely over to Clark.

It was clear from the increase in "discourage" votes for almost every candidate, that once a country had decided on a first preference, they had tried to discourage others to advantage their first preference.