Is he the new head of NATO? Meet the main candidate
Mark Rutte, the head of the Dutch government, is reportedly the leading candidate to become the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), according to Belgian and Dutch media outlets. "He can depend on the backing from Berlin, Paris, and London," reports the NOS portal.
Rutte resigned his government position in July this year following a failure by his cabinet to agree on refugee reception. Following this, he announced his decision to step away from politics.
Interestingly, Rutte revealed his interest in applying for the position of NATO's head last week. Speaking on the Spuigasten radio program on Den Haag FM, Rutte stated his readiness to explore this new opportunity. "I certainly have something to contribute," he confidently remarked.
Rutte is well-regarded in the USA
According to sources in the "De Telegraaf" newspaper, Rutte has the endorsement of both current US President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump. When asked about his opinion of the Dutch head of government, Ben Cardin, the head of the US Senate's foreign affairs committee, stated, "I hold him in high esteem and can only use superlatives to describe him."
"Rutte is the prime contender to succeed as the head of NATO," Politico portal estimates. "While official government comments on Rutte's candidacy are yet to be made, three senior European officials (who have been granted anonymity to speak freely) indicated that it is projected he will receive extensive backing," Politico reported.
Could a woman lead NATO?
As per NOS, Rutte already has the approval from Berlin, London, and Paris. However, it is uncertain whether he will gain the endorsement of the increasingly influential countries on NATO's eastern flank.
The media has highlighted several potential obstacles to Rutte occupying this new position. Firstly, credibility –- Rutte, while acting as the leader in The Hague, often disregarded the NATO standard of assigning 2% of GDP for defense spending. Secondly, the gender issue – since its establishment in 1949, NATO has always had a male head, but recently there have been increasing discussions that a woman should lead the organization. A related problem is that Ursula von der Leyen, the current head of the European Commission, is emerging as a favorite candidate in Brussels circles.
Notably, the current head of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, has his term extended until October 2024.
