Dutch Prime Minister leads in race for NATO secretary general - Bloomberg
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte (Photo: Getty Images)
The Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, has become the favorite for the position of NATO Secretary-General. He surpasses other candidates, including representatives from the Baltic countries, according to Bloomberg.
The 56-year-old Rutte is the most likely successor to Jens Stoltenberg among NATO partners.
After 13 years as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Rutte plans to leave national politics. This will happen when a new government is formed.
According to Bloomberg, the United States and the Netherlands discussed Rutte's chances of leading NATO. However, the Prime Minister did not participate in these discussions. Rutte's office has not commented on this situation yet.
According to sources, Rutte was approached twice with requests to lead NATO, but he declined. Now, the Dutchman faces competition, particularly from Baltic colleagues, such as Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, former Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins. Bloomberg notes that Kallas and Karins may be sidelined due to their allegedly overly aggressive rhetoric towards Moscow.
The agency emphasizes that Stoltenberg intends to resign during the 75th anniversary of the alliance, which will be celebrated at the leaders' summit in Washington next summer. Ideally, they want to announce his successor a few months before the elections in the European Union.
Official support from the United States will strengthen Rutte's position. The Dutch Prime Minister may also gain support from countries like Hungary and Türkiye, where he has maintained good relations behind closed doors.
Background
The current NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, has repeatedly stated that he plans to leave his post. This process is delayed, in part due to the war in Ukraine. As of the fall of 2023, there were no clear contenders for the position of NATO Secretary-General.
However, at the end of October, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, expressed interest in replacing Jens Stoltenberg as the NATO Secretary-General. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, as did Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Krisjanis Karins, also expressed interest in the position.
