LONDON—NATO allies have selected outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the military alliance’s next secretary general, as per an official statement released on Wednesday.
“On Wednesday (26 June 2024), the North Atlantic Council decided to appoint Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the next Secretary General of NATO, succeeding Jens Stoltenberg,” the statement from NATO read.
Rutte will assume office on October 1, becoming NATO’s 14th secretary general following Stoltenberg’s decade-long tenure.
“It is a tremendous honour to be appointed Secretary-General of NATO. The Alliance is and will remain the cornerstone of our collective security,” Rutte shared on X, expressing gratitude to all allies for their trust and praising Stoltenberg for his “outstanding leadership” over the past ten years.
Outgoing NATO chief Stoltenberg welcomed Rutte’s appointment and extended his best wishes for success. “Mark is a true transatlanticist, a strong leader, and a consensus-builder,” Stoltenberg commented on X.
Last week, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis withdrew from the race, paving the way for the 57-year-old Rutte. NATO allies had previously agreed in July to extend the term of 65-year-old Stoltenberg, a Norwegian politician, by another year until October 1, 2024. Stoltenberg has been serving as the 13th secretary general since 2014.
The appointment of NATO’s secretary general requires the unanimous endorsement of all 32 NATO allies.–News Desk