- Rutte is to become the next NATO Secretary-General
- Rutte's candidacy had been endorsed
- Romania also supported Rutte
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is expected to become the next NATO Secretary-General after his competitor, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, dropped out of the race .
Rutte’s candidacy had been endorsed by many member states, including the UK, US, France, and Germany, due to his support for Ukraine and his 14 years of experience in European politics .
Initially, three nations – Hungary, Romania, and Turkey – hesitated to support Rutte’s bid, but Turkey and Hungary eventually withdrew their opposition .
Romania also supported Rutte after Iohannis pulled out of the race, leaving Rutte as the sole candidate.
Although Rutte has yet to be officially confirmed by NATO’s member states, he is anticipated to succeed Jens Stoltenberg in October .
As the next Secretary-General, Rutte will oversee NATO’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and work to maintain US commitment to the alliance, especially if Donald Trump is re-elected president
