Romania’s president has withdrawn from the race to become NATO’s next secretary general, paving the way for outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to likely assume the role starting in October. The decision was announced by the office of President Klaus Iohannis, stating that Romania’s security council has endorsed Rutte’s candidacy and that Iohannis had formally notified NATO of his withdrawal.
This development eliminates the main obstacle in Rutte’s path to assuming the leadership of NATO, setting the stage for a display of unity within the organization. The timing aligns with a crucial meeting in Washington on July 9-11, where U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders will convene to commemorate NATO’s 75th anniversary and show support for Ukraine.
The role of NATO secretary-general involves overseeing meetings and facilitating discussions among the 32 member nations to ensure the organization's consensus-based decision-making process continues to function effectively.
Recent challenges to Rutte’s candidacy have been resolved, with Hungary withdrawing its veto after receiving assurances that it would not be compelled to participate in NATO’s initiatives to aid Ukraine. Turkey, which had also expressed reservations, lifted its objections earlier in April.
Rutte has emerged as the favored candidate among many NATO allies, including influential members such as the United States and Germany. The current secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, who has led NATO for a decade, has been praised for his steady leadership, making the task of finding a suitable successor a challenging one.
Originally, Biden and other NATO leaders had planned to select Stoltenberg’s replacement during a meeting in Lithuania in July 2023. However, the lack of consensus on a successor prompted an earlier decision to appoint Rutte as the next secretary-general, pending formal approval.
