Mark Rutte steps into nato leadership amid global challenges

On Tuesday, Rutte received the support of Hungary and Slovakia. On Thursday, Romania also backed him after the country's former president, Klaus Iohannis, withdrew from the race for the NATO chief position.

Rutte will thus replace Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg. He will start his job as the Secretary General of the Alliance on October 2, a little over a month before the United States elections, which could dramatically shift the balance of power. The Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump, has announced, among other things, a reduction in support for Ukraine.

At the same time, the media points out that "Teflon Mark" (as Rutte is jokingly called due to his remarkable resilience to various scandals and crises) can deal with Trump. He has already stood up to him in the past, which positively surprised the then-President of the USA.

The position of NATO Secretary General is highly challenging, especially considering the current developments, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Politico reminds us that Rutte also made numerous missteps, such as promoting the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project. At the same time, under his leadership, the Netherlands could not meet the NATO defence spending requirement of 2% of GDP.

Mark Rutte has been the Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 2010. Known for his effectiveness and ability to compromise, he has gained trust in his country and internationally. In July 2023, he unexpectedly announced his departure from national politics, triggering speculation about his future.

Outgoing Jens Stoltenberg took over NATO on October 1, 2014. His tenure was full of challenges and significant international events, including increased tensions between NATO and Russia and strengthening the Alliance's eastern flank.