Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is likely to replace Jens Stoltenberg as NATO's new Secretary General at the NATO Summit in mid-July in Washington, USA, after the last competing candidate, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, announced his withdrawal.
In a statement released yesterday (June 20), the Romanian Supreme Defense Council said that Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has decided to withdraw from the race for the new NATO Secretary General position and give his support to the only remaining candidate, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
The move virtually means that Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will succeed Jens Stoltenberg as head of NATO. Previously, Mr. Rutte had received support from all other NATO members except Hungary and Romania. Earlier this week, the Dutch Prime Minister secured support from the Hungarian Prime Minister after assuring that if elected NATO Secretary General, Hungary would not be forced to participate in any future NATO operations in Ukraine.
The election of a new NATO Secretary General is expected to be decided at the upcoming NATO Summit from July 9-11 in Washington, DC. The current NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, has been extended four times and has expressed his desire to step down from this position from 2023.
If elected, Mr. Mark Rutte will be the fourth Dutchman to hold the highest position of NATO. Regional analysts say the top priority of the new Secretary General is still the Ukraine issue, how NATO can ensure unity among members in long-term support for Ukraine without escalating direct conflict with Russia.
In addition, the head of NATO also faces the equally difficult task of maintaining transatlantic relations in the face of the prospect of Donald Trump being re-elected as US President in the election taking place later this year.
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