Mark Rutte Poised to Become NATO Chief as Rival Withdraws

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is poised to become the next secretary general of NATO after his sole competitor, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, withdrew from the race. Iohannis informed the military alliance of his decision at the end of last week, according to a statement from his office on Thursday. Rutte and Iohannis had been competing to replace Jens Stoltenberg, whose term ends in October. Although Rutte is now the only candidate, he has yet to be officially confirmed by NATO member states.

Rutte, 57, will face the challenge of managing NATO's response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and ensuring the U.S. remains committed to the alliance, especially if Donald Trump, who has previously questioned American involvement, is re-elected. Rutte has been noted for his positive interactions with Trump in the past. At a security conference in February, he emphasized the need for Europe to collaborate "with whoever is on the dance floor."

Rutte decided to pursue NATO's top position after announcing his departure from politics following the collapse of his coalition government last summer. His successor, Dick Schoof, was chosen by the new Dutch coalition in May, allowing Rutte to step down.

Rutte's support for Ukraine and his extensive experience in European politics earned him endorsements from several NATO members, including the UK, US, France, and Germany. However, Hungary, Romania, and Turkey initially withheld their support. Turkey eventually backed Rutte after he met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in April. Hungary also withdrew its opposition after Rutte assured Prime Minister Viktor Orban that Hungary would not be required to provide military aid to Ukraine. Orban announced Hungary's support for Rutte on social media, stating that Rutte had confirmed his backing for a deal brokered with Stoltenberg.

Following Iohannis's withdrawal, he requested Romania's defense council to support Rutte, which they did. The next NATO summit is scheduled for July in Washington, DC.