1996 United Nations Secretary-General selection a term beginning 1 January 1997. The 1996 selection marks the only time that a sitting Secretary-General was denied a second term. The elderly Boutros-Ghali initially intended to serve only one term, but he ran for a second term in 1996. Traditionally, the Secretary-General is entitled to run unopposed for a second term. No sitting Secretary-General had ever been denied a second term by a veto. In the 1950 selection, Trygve Lie was vetoed by the Soviet Union, but he was re-appointed by the General Assembly without a recommendation from the Security Council. In the 1976 selection, Kurt Waldheim received
1953 United Nations Secretary-General selection Sweden as a dark horse candidate. Hammarskjöld was acceptable to both superpowers and was selected Secretary-General for a 5-year term. Hammarskjöld subsequently ran unopposed for re-selection in 1957 and was unanimously appointed to a second term. The Secretary-General of the United Nations is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. When the United Nations met in 1946, it was agreed that the Security Council would select one candidate for the General Assembly's approval. The United States had backed Lester Pearson of Canada, while the Soviet Union supported Stanoje Simic of Yugoslavia. Since neither superpower would