Who will be the next Director General of ILO?

Guest blog: Lenni Montiel: Senior UN Development Leader (Ret.) | Former UN Assistant Secretary-General |UNDP Resident Representative | Governance, Public Policy & Multilateral Diplomacy | Leadership Advisor & Trainer | Chevening Scholar. Lenni writes on LinkedIn about the UN and international development. Originally published here.

The next major UN election has begun, and you've probably never heard about it.

The International Labour Organization is selecting its next Director-General.

Unlike most organizations in the UN system, the ILO has a unique governance model. It is not governed solely by Member States.

Its Governing Body consists of 56 members:
🔹 28 government representatives
🔹 14 employers' representatives
🔹 14 workers' representatives

This tripartite structure, established in 1919, means that candidates must build confidence not only among governments but also among employers and trade unions.

The current timetable is:

📅 31 August 2026 – Deadline for nominations.

📅 23 September 2026 – Public candidates' forum, where nominees present their vision and answer questions.

📅 9 - 16 November 2026 – Election by the ILO Governing Body.

📅 1 October 2027 – Beginning of the new five-year mandate.

At the time of writing, two candidates have been announced:

• Gilbert F. Houngbo (Togo), the incumbent Director-General seeking a second term.

• Yolanda Díaz (Spain), currently Spain's Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour, who would become the first woman to lead the ILO if elected.

Additional nominations may still be submitted until 31 August.

Although it rarely attracts the same public attention as other UN appointments, the ILO's leadership matters.

The Organization has shaped international labour standards for more than a century, influencing national legislation on working conditions, occupational safety, child labour, forced labour, freedom of association and social protection.

The next Director-General will need to navigate a world of work increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, demographic change, digital platforms, the climate transition, growing budgetary pressures and increasing scrutiny of international organizations.

The decisions made in Geneva over the coming years could influence how governments, employers and workers respond to these shifts for a generation.

Which issues do you think should be at the top of the next ILO Director-General's agenda?