The North Atlantic Council has officially appointed Mark Rutte as the next Secretary General of NATO. The outgoing Dutch prime minister will assume his new position from October 1, 2024.
After a lengthy campaign, all 32 NATO countries expressed their support for Rutte to take the secretary general spot. The 57-year-old has been the longest-sitting Prime Minister in the history of the Netherlands and completes his last official act in his current position on Thursday, June 27, before he passes the torch to the next Dutch Prime Minister, Dick Schoof.
Mark Rutte will succeed Jens Stoltenberg as the head of the western military alliance, who has been on the job for 10 years. “I warmly welcome NATO Allies’ choice of [PM] Mark Rutte as my successor,” said Stoltenberg on social media. “Mark is a true transatlanticist, a strong leader and a consensus-builder. I wish him every success as we continue to strengthen NATO. I know I am leaving NATO in good hands.”
Before the 2023 elections, after the cabinet collapsed under his leadership, Rutte resigned as VVD leader amid rumours that he was planning on taking on a high-ranking NATO position.
Almost a year later, after nearly 14 years as Dutch prime minister, Rutte will become the fourth Dutch person to take on the role of leader of NATO. No other country has had as many of its people fill the secretary general position.
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