The entry of Kristalina Georgieva into the UN leadership race was announced by the Bulgaria prime minister in Sofia.

Boiko Borissov said that Bulgaria had changed its candidate, replacing Irina Bokova, the current director general at UNESCO, with Kristalina Georgieva, the candidate supported by the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and who analysts say is going to be a tougher adversary for the former high commissioner for refugees, António Guterres.

Guterres won the first five rounds of the UN Security Council votes overwhelmingly, but the chances of election are suddenly much slimmer now, particularly as the next secretary general is supposed to come from Eastern Europe and many have said it is time for a woman to get the job.