At least five candidates seek to succeed Tedros as WHO director-general

The nomination period closed Thursday with five candidates on the WHO website, including late entrant Maria Neira, to succeed Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus when he leaves office on Aug. 16, 2027. U.S. withdrawal as WHO's largest funder and cuts in global health spending raise how the next leader will bring Washington back or work with it. Lawrence Gostin called it the most consequential director-general election in modern WHO history.