Among the figures considered to take the head of NATO, his name had already been circulating for months.

Mark Rutte, the Dutch Prime Minister, has just won the support of the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, three of the most important countries in the North Atlantic Alliance, on Thursday February 22.

He would succeed Jens Stoltenberg.

Due to lack of agreement between the Allies on a new personality, the current secretary general was reappointed to his post last summer for one more year.

The Norwegian then led this organization for ten years, marked by ever-increasing tensions with Russia.

The resigning head of the Dutch government, who is responsible for current affairs, now has the public support of three members of the Atlantic Alliance, starting with NATO's leading diplomatic and military power, the United States.

Washington has made it "clear" to its allies that the Dutch Prime Minister would make "an excellent secretary general", said White House spokesperson John Kirby on Thursday.

If the Americans generally have the last word on this choice, the position goes to a European.

Liberal Prime Minister

“We want a strong candidate,” a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said earlier, saying he “strongly” supports the Dutch leader’s candidacy.

“Rutte is well respected within the Alliance, he has serious defense and security credentials and he will ensure that the Alliance remains strong and ready to provide defense and deterrence,” he explained. , saluting the “leadership” of Jens Stoltenberg for nine years.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (l) and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on July 12, 2023 in Vilnius, Lithuania © Odd Andersen AFP/Archives

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz "supports the appointment of Mark Rutte as Secretary General of NATO", his spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit also announced a few hours later.

“With his immense experience, his great expertise in security policy and his keen sense of diplomacy, he is an exceptional candidate,” he wrote on the social network X.

But some of the 31 member states of the Alliance consider that the time has come for a woman to lead NATO for the first time.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas had expressed her interest, but the name of Mark Rutte now seems to stand out.

Liberal prime minister since 2010, he announced his intention to leave the Dutch political scene but remains in office pending the formation of a new government.

Negotiations have been slipping since the November elections won by the far-right.

Standing up to Trump

A regular at European meetings, Mark Rutte, 57, has been able to establish relationships with a number of leaders.

Another strong point is that he spent time with former American President Donald Trump, whose possible return after the November election haunts the corridors of the Alliance in Brussels.

Also read: NATO – United States, a relationship marked by more than one crisis

Mark Rutte did not hesitate to go so far as to publicly contradict him during a visit to the White House.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte (d) and Donald Trump, then president, on July 18, 2019 at the White House in Washington © Mandel Ngan, AFP/Archives

One of the criteria mentioned at NATO is also that of a sufficient commitment to defense in the candidates' country of origin.

Member States have committed to devoting 2% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to this, an objective to which the Netherlands is very close, thanks in particular to the action of Mark Rutte.

It will be essential, NATO diplomats argue, to appear engaged on this subject in the event of Donald Trump's return.

The latter had several times called on the Allies to increase their defense spending, otherwise the United States would reduce theirs or even leave the Alliance.

Last year, the then British Defense Minister, Ben Wallace – who has since resigned – announced his candidacy to lead NATO, but he failed to obtain American approval and the Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg had been renewed.

With AFP

The France 24 summary of the week

invites you to look back at the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you!

Download the France 24 application