The 57-year-old Dutch prime minister will take over the military alliance on October 1, replacing Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg
Mark Rutte, the outgoing Dutch Prime Minister, has been formally chosen as the next Secretary General of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). The military alliance announced this Wednesday (June 26, 2024) that “Rutte will assume his duties as Secretary General from October 1, 2024”.
Rutte’s appointment this Wednesday (June 26) was a mere formality after his only rival for the position, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, announced last week his withdrawal from the race.
Rutte, who will take office in October, replacing Jens Stoltenberg, has received support from key members of the alliance, including the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany. He described his appointment as a “tremendous honor” and emphasized the importance of NATO for “collective security” of the West.
Stoltenberg, who led NATO for a decade, welcomed Rutte’s selection, singling him out as a “a true transatlanticist, a strong leader and a consensus builder”. World leaders, such as British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, also praised the choice, saying they were confident in Rutte’s ability to maintain NATO. “strong and united”.
Rutte will face the challenge of maintaining allies’ support for Ukraine against the Russian invasion, without directly involving NATO in a conflict with Moscow. His firmness towards Russian President Vladimir Putin and his support for Ukraine were notable, despite the Kremlin’s statements that the appointment “it won’t change anything”.
Known for his ability to avoid scandals and his direct approach, Rutte has led 4 consecutive coalition governments in the Netherlands. Under his leadership, the Dutch government provided €2.63 billion in military support to Ukraine and pledged a further €2 billion for 2024, emphasizing the importance of the Ukrainian victory for European security.
He will leave the government of the Netherlands on July 2 after holding the position for almost 14 years. He resigned in July 2023. He will be replaced by Dick Schoof (independent).
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