NATO Allies have appointed the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte , as the next head of NATO on Wednesday, the military alliance announced.
Rutte's appointment became a formality after his only rival for the post, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, announced last week that he was withdrawing from the race after failing to secure support.
"The North Atlantic Council has decided to appoint Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as Secretary General of NATO, who will succeed Jens Stoltenberg," NATO said in a communique. Rutte will take over as Secretary General of the military alliance. from October 1, 2024, when the mandate of the current chief Jens Stoltenberg ends," she said.
After showing interest in the post last year, Rutte won immediate support from key members of the alliance, including the United States, Britain, France and Germany.
Others were more reserved, especially the Eastern European countries who argued that this post should be held by someone from their region for the first time.
However, they ultimately backed Rutten, who is a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a staunch ally of Ukraine.
Stoltenberg, who has led NATO for 10 years, said he was leaving the alliance in "safe hands" and called Ruttes a "strong transatlantic" leader.
" I welcome the decision of NATO allies to choose Mark Rutten as my successor. Mark is a true transatlantic, a powerful leader. I wish him success as we continue to strengthen NATO for current and future challenges ," Stoltenberg said./REL