Díaz's ILO bid falters as global employers and unions back rival Houngbo

Two major ILO organizations representing employers and workers have announced their support for Gilbert Houngbo's re-election, complicating Yolanda Díaz's candidacy to lead the agency.

Yolanda Díaz's bid to head the International Labour Organization (ILO) has hit an obstacle unrelated to Spanish politics. On October 30, the International Organization of Employers (IOE) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) separately endorsed the re-election of Gilbert Houngbo, the Togolese national currently leading the body. The vote is scheduled for November 16.

## Two blocs totaling 28 votes

The IOE groups over 150 employer associations and controls 14 votes in the election. The ITUC, which brings together trade union organizations represented at the ILO, adds another 14 of the total 56 votes. Together they concentrate half the electorate, a bloc that effectively makes Houngbo the favorite.

The endorsement is not symbolic. In a tripartite body like the ILO, where governments, employers, and workers vote separately, losing both social groups complicates any arithmetic. Díaz needs to build a majority without the votes that, on paper, represent the actors of the world of work.

## The rival already occupying the seat

Gilbert Houngbo has led the ILO since 2022 and seeks a second term. His advantage is not just the position: he enjoys the support of structures that have worked with him for years. The IOE announced its backing on October 30; the ITUC did the same that day.

For Díaz, Spain's Second Vice President and Minister of Labor, the scenario is uncomfortable. Her political profile in Spain does not automatically translate into support in Geneva, where relationships with employer and union federations weigh more than national trajectories. The November 16 vote will decide if this gap turns into defeat.