Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte wins race to replace Jens Stoltenberg as NATO chief after his only rival quits

Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte clinched the race to become NATO’s next chief at a crucial time for the alliance, after the only rival, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, withdrew on Thursday.

The veteran politician, 57, is expected to be formally appointed by NATO’s 32 nations in the coming days and should take over when current chief Jens Stoltenberg’s term ends on October 1.

He will become the fourth Dutchman to lead NATO since its founding in 1949.

Rutte will arrive at a dangerous time for Western allies, as Russia’s war in Ukraine drags on and Donald Trump fights to regain the US presidency in November.

After reclaiming the post last year following the collapse of his coalition, Rutte, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, quickly gained support from the heavyweights: the United States, Britain, France and Germany.

Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has secured the race to become the next NATO chief.

Rutte won office after his only rival, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, withdrew.

But he had to use all the diplomatic skills acquired during almost 14 years in charge of the Netherlands to win over the holdouts led by Turkey and Hungary.

Rutte overcame Turkish reluctance with a visit to Istanbul in April, before finally sealing a deal with Hungary’s Viktor Orban at a European Union summit this week.

That left the latest sticking point as Iohannis, whose surprise candidacy had irritated allies, was confident of a smooth appointment for Rutte before a NATO summit in Washington next month.

Romania’s security council announced Thursday that Iohannis had formally retired and that the country was backing Rutte.

Rutte will have his work cut out for him as he takes over the reins from former Norwegian Prime Minister Stoltenberg, who led the alliance during its most consequential decades since the end of the Cold War.

Just weeks into his four-year term, voters in the United States will go to the polls in a decisive vote to choose between incumbent President Joe Biden and Trump.

The prospect of the volatile former president returning to the Oval Office has rattled allies who fear he could weaken superpower Washington’s role as Europe’s top security guarantor.

Trump fueled those fears during the election campaign by saying he would encourage Russia to attack NATO countries that don’t spend enough on their own defense.

Like Stoltenberg, Rutte earned praise for his careful handling of Trump during his first term in power, when the former reality TV star reportedly even mulled pulling the United States out of NATO.

“I think Mark Rutte is a very strong candidate,” Stoltenberg said during a visit to Washington on Tuesday. ‘He has a lot of experience as prime minister. He is a close friend and colleague.

Trump’s return could pose a significant challenge: To the east of NATO, Rutte will face the much more pressing threat from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

While the return of Donald Trump could pose a significant challenge, to the east of NATO, Rutte will face the much more pressing threat from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Kremlin forces are currently at the forefront in Ukraine after more than two years of brutal conflict, and the NATO chief will play a key role in managing aid to weary Kiev supporters.

At the same time, Rutte will have to ensure that the alliance is ready to defend itself against any possible future attack from Moscow, if or more likely when Putin manages to rebuild his forces.

Part of that will involve corralling European allies into spending more on defense, a key demand of Trump and other American leaders.

This week NATO announced that 23 of its 32 member countries had met the alliance’s goal of spending two percent of their gross domestic product on defense.

Nicknamed ‘Teflon Mark’ for his ability to remain in power for so long in the Netherlands, Rutte will become the fourth Dutchman to lead NATO since it rose from the ashes of World War II to confront the Soviet Union. .

The conservative cyclist supported Ukraine with his country’s full economic weight following the 2022 Russian invasion, leading efforts to deliver F-16 fighter jets to kyiv.

While NATO countries along the alliance’s eastern flank had pushed for one of their own to get the NATO seat, Rutte’s supporters insist that he is fully aware of the threat posed by Russia.

Among the most formative events during his tenure in charge of the Netherlands was the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine, with 196 Dutch among the 298 dead, attributed to Moscow-backed fighters.