Turkey has conveyed to its allies that it will support the candidacy of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to be the next Secretary General of NATO, a Turkish official quoted by Reuters said on Monday, an important step to ensure him the supreme political position in the North Atlantic Alliance, in the conditions in which President Klaus Iohannis announced his candidacy and had a discussion with the Turkish leader on April 19.
Citing NATO diplomats, the Dutch news agency ANP reported earlier on Monday that Turkey had decided to support Rutte’s candidacy, but did not provide further details. Turkey’s state news agency Anadolu also confirmed Ankara’s support.
NATO takes decisions by consensus, so any candidate needs the support of all 32 allies.
Turkey, along with other NATO member states – Hungary, Slovakia and Romania – had not publicly expressed their support for Rutte to succeed Jens Stoltenberg. He will leave the leadership of the military alliance in October. Instead, the USA and other important members of NATO, including France, Germany, Great Britain, have already declared their support for Rutte.
Ankara’s support could increase the pressure on President Klaus Iohannis to withdraw from the competition, although Hungary has openly expressed its opposition to Rutte’s candidacy, writes Reuters. Budapest has taken issue with comments Rutte has made critical of his government, but some diplomats say they could change their stance if Rutte visits Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as he did last week with the Turkish president Tayyip Recep Erdogan.
It is expected that Slovakia will also align itself with the position of supporting Rutte, notes Reuters.
Depending on the outcome of the US presidential election in November, Stoltenberg’s successor may have to work with Donald Trump, who has faced fierce criticism for questioning his commitment to defend NATO allies if re-elected.
Rutte – the Netherlands’ longest-serving leader – announced his departure from Dutch politics last July, but remains in office without a government formed after last year’s election won by the far-right. Rutte has good relations with the British, European Union and US leaders, including Trump.
Many NATO members want to end the selection process as soon as possible, so that it does not become part of the negotiations for the leadership positions in the European Union after the elections for the European Parliament in June.
The next head of NATO will face the challenge of sustaining the allies’ support for Ukraine’s fight against the Russian invasion and at the same time avoiding any escalation that could draw the military alliance directly into a war with Moscow.
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Tags: Turkey supports Mark Rutte future NATO Reuters Pressure growing President Iohannis withdraw race
