Former Portuguese prime minister tapped to head UN

Members of the United Nations security council voted behind closed doors today to nominate former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres as the organization’s next secretary-general. Guterres, 67, most recently served for 10 years as the UN’s high commissioner for refugees, a post he held until 2015. Guterres rose to power in the 1990s as head of his country’s Socialist Party. Under his leadership, the party shed its extreme leftist platform and became more centrist. Guterres was known as a modernizer but also as someone who shied away from unpopular decisions. He voluntarily resigned after eight years as prime minister, abandoning Portuguese politics to work at the UN. The Security Council’s recommendation now goes to the full 193-member General Assembly for approval next week. If approved, Guterres will replace Ban Ki-moon, who will finish out his second, five-year term on Dec. 31.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.