NATO’s 32 nations appointed, on Wednesday, outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the alliance’s next head, handing him the job at a crucial moment with Russia on the march in Ukraine and US elections looming.
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will hand over to Rutte on October 1. Major powers, led by the US, completed his nomination in time for the NATO leaders’ summit in Washington, DC, the following month.
The experienced Dutch leader, whose 14-year term as Netherlands leader is coming to a close in a few weeks, is seen as a reliable hand that can guide the 75-year alliance through difficult times.
Following the dissolution of his coalition the previous year, Rutte had to stake a claim for the NATO position and employ all of his diplomatic abilities to win over reluctant allies Turkey and Hungary.
Last week, he eventually secured the top job when the only contender, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, withdrew.
A Crucial Mandate in a Tense Geopolitical Context
An outspoken advocate for Ukraine, the Dutchman led the charge to provide Kyiv with F-16 fighter jets to aid in fending off Russia’s incursion.
Rutte will now need to make sure NATO is prepared to handle the threat that Moscow will continue to pose for years to come, in addition to keeping a close watch on China’s increasing power.
The hardest test, though, would be maintaining the coalition in the event that Trump becomes president again.
During his first administration, Trump allegedly considered withdrawing the military powerhouse from NATO, but Rutte and other officials talked him out of it.
Not only does the United States face political unrest, but other important nations like France are also experiencing crunch polls.
With AFP
