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Jens Stoltenberg
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Susan Walsh / AP
Jens Stoltenberg will remain in office for another year as Secretary General of the transatlantic defense alliance NATO. The Norwegian announced the extension on Twitter itself. He felt "honored" by the decision of the member states, Stoltenberg wrote. He will therefore remain in office until at least October 1, 2024. NATO's official account shared the post.
The extension with Stoltenberg is likely to give the alliance partners more time in the search for a successor. Attempts by member states to agree on another candidate have recently proved difficult.
Stoltenberg, who has been NATO Secretary General for almost nine years, had stated several times in recent months that he was not actually seeking another term in office. According to sources close to him, however, he is now continuing out of a "sense of duty".
The US government, in particular, has repeatedly praised the 64-year-old for his leadership since the beginning of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Stoltenberg did an "incredible job," President Joe Biden said in mid-June. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) is also an advocate of Stoltenberg.
Stoltenberg currently has to mediate, especially in the expansion of the alliance. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Hungary have been blocking Sweden's admission for months. Northern enlargement is a priority in view of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, but can only be decided unanimously by the members.
In recent months, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, among others, have been considered possible contenders to succeed Stoltenberg. However, both were not without controversy.
Only one Dutchman has been in office longer
In the history of the alliance, Stoltenberg is already the second longest-serving general secretary. For the longest time, the Dutchman Joseph Luns, the highest international official of the alliance. He served from 1971 to 1984.
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