Belgium formally proposed Kluge to head the World Health Organization.

Kluge has entered the race for Director-General and will manage his leave of absence during the candidacy period.

During the candidacy, Kluge plans to meet with WHO member states, partners, and field staff to discuss expectations and the future of global health.

He intends to use the interim period to engage with stakeholders across the organization to shape the future vision for WHO.

As of the nomination deadline, at least three candidates have been listed, with Qatar and Saudi Arabia indicating contenders, and more entrants anticipated by late September 2026.

Kluge has publicly praised the leadership of outgoing Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during recent health crises.

Belgian Health Minister Franck Vandenbroucke highlighted Kluge’s broad experience and multilingual abilities in presenting his candidacy.

The election is scheduled for May 2027 at the 80th World Health Assembly, with candidate submissions due by September 24, 2026.

Kluge is the second regional director to take a leave of absence under new guidelines that require leave at half pay for leadership campaigns, intended to level the playing field with other internal candidates.

Hans Kluge, 57, who has led WHO Europe since 2020, will step down from his regional role to pursue the position of WHO Director-General, taking a leave of absence starting August 21, 2026 after Belgium nominated him.

The selection process will begin with a candidates’ forum in November and culminate in a member-state election at the World Health Assembly in May 2027, with the winner expected to take office in August 2027.

Other potential candidates cited include Indonesia’s health minister, Sania Nishtar of Gavi, and several others, while some figures have signaled they will not run or remain unclear.