Current United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon (File photo)

Every United Nations Secretary General to date has been a man, but there is a strong push to select a woman this time around, according to a report in The Guardian.

Candidates for the world’s top diplomatic post will compete openly for the job for the first time, as the current holder, Ban Ki-moon, prepares to step down at the end of this year. For the first 70 years of the U.N.’s history, the secretary general has been chosen behind closed doors by the major powers on the Security Council, and only then presented to the general assembly for approval.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is one good pick to become the next head of the U.N., a report on Daily Mail suggested.

The contenders must explain their ideals and intentions in front of representatives from the 193 member nations next month at the U.N. general assembly. Public debates will also be held in New York and London — an unprecedented addition to the selection process — so that candidates can take questions from individuals and organizations from around the world. The New York event will take place on April 13 and the London one will be held on June 3.