Overview
- The International Court of Justice election begins Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, to fill five nine-year terms that will run from 2027 to 2036.
- Singapore has nominated Ambassador for International Law Rena Lee as its first-ever ICJ candidate and the government issued a joint statement giving her full support.
- Ms Lee is presented as a career international lawyer who led the negotiations that produced the 2023 BBNJ Agreement and has roles at the Permanent Court of Arbitration and ICSID panels.
- Ten candidates from Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America are contesting five seats and each must win an absolute majority in both the General Assembly (97 votes) and the Security Council (8 votes) in separate secret ballots.
- Ms Lee has received 33 national-group nominations so far but nomination counts are only signals of backing and do not guarantee election because voting is secret and may require multiple rounds.