WHO Leadership Race: 4 Candidates Compete for Top Job Ahead of Deadline

Financial Turmoil and the Rise of Beijing as the Top Contributor

Financial instability has dominated the WHO since early 2025, when funding cuts spearheaded by Washington forced the agency to slash nearly a quarter of its workforce, amounting to over 2,300 post eliminations. President Trump’s decision to pull the U.S. out of the organization stemmed from accusations that WHO leadership failed to press China aggressively for transparent information regarding the initial COVID-19 outbreak.

With Beijing now serving as the agency’s largest financial contributor, its influence over the leadership selection process has grown significantly. Kieran Bligh, a PhD student and researcher on the WHO leadership process at George Washington University, points out that China’s recent seat as a Western Pacific representative on the WHO’s Executive Board—comprising 34 members tasked with winnowing down contenders ahead of the final May vote—grants it direct leverage.

Kieran Bligh remarks that “Money matters,” pointing out that Beijing’s investments in vital African infrastructure like mines, ports, and roads could influence how other board members vote. “Those influences do not disappear when governments walk into a secret ballot, and debt exposure can be powerful leverage.”

The Official Candidates and Regional Power Plays

Four official contenders have emerged to succeed Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus when his term concludes next August 15, 2027. The roster features Hans Kluge, the Belgian WHO Europe director; Hanan Al Kuwari, Qatar’s health minister; Indonesian health minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin; and Hanan Balkhy, the Saudi WHO director for the Eastern Mediterranean region.

Amid this shifting landscape, Budi Gunadi Sadikin is viewed as a candidate to watch given Jakarta’s close ties with Beijing. Despite lacking formal medical or public health training, the Indonesian contender—who previously served as chief executive officer of Bank Mandiri, his country’s largest financial institution—offers a distinct profile tailored to fiscal recovery. “He brings something genuinely different: transformation, fiscal responsibility, charisma and likeability, with a profile that is politically palatable across regions” explains Kieran Bligh regarding Gunadi Sadikin’s broad appeal.

Meanwhile, Hanan Balkhy is drawing strong backing through intensive lobbying from Riyadh. Credited with successfully managing sexual misconduct and abuse allegations within her region, Balkhy is well-connected and aligns well with Beijing’s interests due to deepened trade, energy, and finance ties between China and Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, Riyadh maintains close diplomatic relations with Washington, ensuring Balkhy remains a viable option even as the U.S. watches from the sidelines.

Europe’s Fragmented Strategy and the Vulnerabilities of Hans Kluge

Europe’s path in the election appears increasingly uncertain. Jeremy Farrar, a Brit and former WHO assistant director general who was previously rumored as a potential contender, is out of the running after accepting a senior role at health non-profit Path. This leaves Hans Kluge as the sole European candidate in the race.

Despite this, Kluge’s bid has yet to secure official backing from the European Union. Kieran Bligh notes that this hesitation “may signal either the bloc’s preference to wait until all bids are in before announcing its support, or concerns about his ability to deliver organisational reform.” Adding to the bloc’s disjointed posture, EU Commission health emergencies director Florika Fink-Hooijer publicly praised Budi Gunadi Sadikin on social media following a meeting in Jakarta, prompting questions over whether the gesture signaled an unofficial nod.

German officials recently informed Health Policy Watch that Berlin will not put forward a national candidate. Furthermore, Kluge faces distinct political hurdles. While he is expected to win the backing of Israel—an Executive Board member—doing so too openly could backfire and alienate other voting blocs. Developing nations may also view his European heritage as a liability, tying him too closely to pharmaceutical interests stalling pathogen access and benefit-sharing (Pabs) negotiations, alongside his nationality’s ties to colonial history in Congo.

The Future of Global Health Governance

The absence of active Western leadership poses a long-term strategic threat to multilateral health governance. “The bigger risk is that Washington vacates the space and China fills it,” warns Kieran Bligh, adding that “The WHO could increasingly become a tool used against US interests while (Washington) has no seat at the table.”

Following the September 24 nomination deadline, applicants will navigate a newly refined selection framework modeled after UN leadership races to maximize transparency. Contenders will participate in a live public forum this November. Subsequently, the Executive Board will narrow the field to three finalists during its late January session, culminating in a final vote at the World Health Assembly in May following a second round of interactive forums.