The Turkish power that could shape the world: Hakan Fidan to become UN Secretary-General — CLAIM

The name of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has this time come into the spotlight not because of domestic Turkish politics, but in connection with one of the highest posts in international politics.

A report published by The Jerusalem Post claims that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has considered several times nominating Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan for the position of UN Secretary-General.

At first glance, this may appear to be an ordinary possibility concerning a diplomatic post. However, the issue has emerged at a time when possible scenarios for the political period in Türkiye after Erdoğan are increasingly being discussed, making it significant also in terms of Fidan’s political future.

So, what lies behind The Jerusalem Post’s claim, how does Ankara approach the issue, and how could Hakan Fidan’s possible candidacy for UN Secretary-General affect Türkiye’s domestic political balance?

Speaking to TodayPress TV about the issue, Hasan Oktay, Chairman of the Caucasus Strategic Research Center and a Turkish political scientist, said that the possibility of Fidan becoming a candidate for UN Secretary-General was not entirely unrealistic. However, according to him, there is currently insufficient evidence to say that “Erdoğan will nominate Fidan”:

“At the same time, it is necessary to state openly that the time has come for the UN Secretary-General to be a Turk. The Jerusalem Post report dated September 22, 2026, says precisely this: sources familiar with the matter who spoke to the newspaper claim that Erdoğan has considered nominating Fidan for UN Secretary-General several times. In contrast, Turkish officials categorically deny that such a plan exists. It is also reported that Erdoğan did not put forward Fidan as a candidate in his September 22 address to the UN.

I think three separate points need to be distinguished here:

1. ‘Can Fidan become a candidate?’ — Yes

Fidan’s profile makes such a candidacy theoretically possible. Before becoming foreign minister, he served as head of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) for 13 years. He also has an academic background in international relations and international experience, including membership of the IAEA Board of Governors.

Moreover, Fidan’s role in international diplomacy has expanded in 2026. His representation of Erdoğan in Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ initiative and his role as one of the key actors in Gaza diplomacy are examples of this.

2. ‘Is Erdoğan really considering this?’ — This is the interesting part of the report

The Jerusalem Post’s claim is not presented directly as meaning that ‘the candidacy has been finalized.’

The key phrase in the report is this:

Erdoğan has considered nominating Fidan several times.

However, the same report also says that Turkish officials categorically deny that such a plan exists. Therefore, there are currently two different accounts:

The Jerusalem Post’s sources: The issue is on the discussion table.

Turkish officials: There is no such plan.

For this reason, at this stage, it would be more accurate to regard this as behind-the-scenes information concerning Fidan’s possible candidacy.

3. But the main issue is the arithmetic of the UN election

Here, the balance within the UN Security Council is more important than the candidate’s personal qualities.

Guterres’ second term ends on December 31, 2026, and the new Secretary-General is expected to assume office on January 1, 2027. A candidate must first receive a recommendation from the Security Council and then be appointed by the General Assembly. In the Security Council, the candidate needs at least nine votes, with none of the five permanent members casting a veto.

Moreover, the race has not yet been concluded. According to the report, Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan came first in the third secret ballot with nine ‘encouragement’ votes, while Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett followed with eight. However, since it has not been disclosed which permanent members cast those votes, the result does not provide a final picture. It is also still possible for new candidates to enter the race.

There is another important factor for Fidan: within the UN, there is strong political expectation that a candidate from Latin America and the Caribbean will be selected and that the first woman Secretary-General will be appointed. These are not legal requirements, but they are significant political factors in the candidacy process.”

The political scientist also outlined the broader picture that he considers significant:

“If Fidan’s candidacy is genuinely on Erdoğan’s agenda, this will not be an ordinary issue of changing positions. Let us look at Fidan’s career trajectory:

MİT → Foreign Ministry → Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ initiative → UN Secretary-General

Such a trajectory could mean transferring Türkiye’s foreign policy capabilities from the national diplomatic institution to the global diplomatic platform. However, Erdoğan’s wishes alone will not be enough for this to materialize. The positions of the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France will be decisive.

For this reason, at the current stage, it would be more accurate to use the following formulation:

Fidan’s candidacy for UN Secretary-General is not currently a confirmed decision of the Turkish government. However, the issue has begun to be discussed in international diplomatic circles as a real possibility.”

Oktay also drew attention to another point:

“What is interesting is that immediately after your earlier assessment that Erdoğan’s address to the 81st UN General Assembly appeared ‘lackluster,’ the emergence of this behind-the-scenes report is noteworthy. Erdoğan did not announce Fidan as a candidate from the podium. Nevertheless, on the same day, an international media report emerged saying that ‘Erdoğan is considering bringing Fidan to the leadership of the UN.’ This is a noteworthy development. It is not yet a confirmed plan, but given its timing, it is an issue that needs to be followed.

At a time when the post-Erdoğan period is being discussed in Türkiye, if Hakan Fidan, who is an important political actor, is nominated for UN Secretary-General and elected, he will remain outside the presidential race in Türkiye. If he is not elected, his political weight could also decline, potentially setting him back several steps in the presidential race in Türkiye.”

The political scientist also raised another possibility. In his view, Israeli media may be seeking to shape the presidential elections in Türkiye through the MİT by bringing Hakan Fidan’s name to the forefront.

Giymat Mahir