The list of people who can replace Stoltenberg as the head of NATO constantly expands. Mark Rutte from Holland was considered the undisputed favorite, but Klaus Iohannis from Romania has recently joined him. It is also known that the Estonian Kaja Kallas can apply for the post. How will this race end?
American sympathies
The first thing to note is that American high-ranking officials show sympathy for Mark Rutte. Since 2010, Rutte has been the head of the government in The Hague, and his chances of becoming the Secretary General of NATO are the highest. One of the reasons is the support of the candidate by the Americans because such an important position is not appointed without their approval. In addition, he is supported by Great Britain, Germany, and France.
It is wonderful if the Secretary General and the President of the USA have a normal personal relationship. However, some analysts believe it is too early for Rutte to relax.
Romania takes the stage
A week ago, official sources confirmed that Romanian President Klaus Iohannis submitted his candidacy for the post of NATO head. And although the candidacy has not yet been officially announced, it is only a matter of time.
Romania is a country that has always appealed to NATO, but with the beginning of the great war in Ukraine, it became louder and clearer. All of Eastern Europe, and especially the former satellites of the USSR, are aware of the risks from Russia. Therefore, Romania spends more than the average on the defense budget, namely 2.5% of GDP.
Do not think that Iohannis will lose badly to the Dutchman, because those countries having tense relations with the Netherlands will support him. These are Hungary, Turkey, which had disputes with the Netherlands due to the speeches of Turkish politicians, Bulgaria, against which Rutte vetoed the entry into Schengen and others.
But to win, Iohannis should turn the Dutchman’s supporters into his supporters. Olaf Scholz considers him an experienced politician in security matters and an outstanding diplomat. He also receives similar compliments from London and Paris. He also has a reputation as an honest broker and supports Ukraine.
Lady K
The last candidate is Kaja Kallas from Estonia. If elected, she would become the first woman and the first Eastern European to hold this position. She repeatedly stated about Putin’s imperial ambitions and the need to support Ukraine. She enjoys great support in security circles but is inferior at the level of heads of state and government. At the same time, Estonia is a model for NATO, because their defense budget is 3.2% of GDP. Only the clear opposition of the candidate to Russia can frighten Europeans.
The final decision on who will replace Stoltenberg will be known in July during the summit, timed to the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic Alliance.
