Why the election of the next ILO chief matters

The International Labour Organization is approaching a leadership election at a difficult moment for the multilateral system it represents. The organization will hold a secret vote on Nov. 16 to decide who will lead it from Oct. 1, 2027.

The contest features three candidates: Togo’s Gilbert Houngbo, who is seeking another term, Spain’s Yolanda Díaz and Peru’s Javier González-Olaechea. All three have held senior public or international roles.

The ILO establishes a shared baseline for labor rights through standards covering freedom of association, equality, workplace safety and health, social protection and decent working conditions. It also provides technical assistance and training to poorer countries, while monitoring developments in labor markets.

That role has gained importance as work changes through artificial intelligence, automation, demographic shifts and climate change. The organization is seeking to ensure that technological innovation does not come at the cost of workers’ rights, using international rules to help manage those changes fairly.

Díaz, 55, is Spain’s second deputy prime minister and labor minister. She previously served in the Congress of Deputies and worked as a labor lawyer. Her government work has centered on social dialogue, with about 30 agreements involving unions, employers and the government.

Houngbo, 65, was Togo’s prime minister from 2008 to 2012. He also held posts at the ILO and the United Nations Development Programme and led the International Fund for Agricultural Development. González-Olaechea, 67, previously served as Peru’s foreign minister, although the provided text ends before giving further details of his career.