1981 United Nations Secretary-General selection

1981 United Nations Secretary-General selection

← 1976 27 October 1981 – 11 December 1981 1991 →

Candidate Javier Pérez de Cuéllar Salim Ahmed Salim Kurt Waldheim Country  Peru  Tanzania  Austria Best vote 10 / 15 11 / 15 11 / 15 Vetoes None  United States  China Round 17th round 11 December 1981 1st round 28 October 1981 6th round 28 October 1981   Candidate Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan Country Best vote 10 / 15 Vetoes  Soviet Union Round Straw poll 11 December 1981

UN Secretary-General before election Kurt Waldheim Elected UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar

A United Nations Secretary-General selection was held in 1981. Kurt Waldheim ran for an unprecedented third full term as Secretary-General, losing to Salim Ahmed Salim by one vote. However, the selection deadlocked through 16 rounds of voting as China vetoed Waldheim and the United States voted against Salim. The Security Council finally settled on a dark horse candidate who stayed home and did not campaign. Javier Pérez de Cuéllar was selected for a term beginning on 1 January 1982, becoming the first Secretary-General from Latin America.

The deadlock was finally broken by a system of straw polls, an innovation that became the standard method for selecting a secretary-general in future open selections. Waldheim's defeat also confirmed the informal two-term limit on the office of Secretary-General, and Pérez de Cuéllar's selection firmly established the principle of regional rotation.