Mark Rutte is set to become the next secretary-general of NATO, with all 32 members of the alliance supporting his appointment after the departure of Jens Stoltenberg. This news comes after endorsements from Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania, with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis withdrawing his own nomination for the position. Rutte will officially take on this new role on Oct. 2, just ahead of the U.S. elections that will impact the future of the military alliance.
Despite facing criticism for his past stance on issues such as Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline project and Dutch defense spending falling short of NATO targets, Rutte has finally steered the Netherlands towards meeting the required 2 percent of GDP spending goal. His campaign for the position began last November, and he will now have the opportunity to lead NATO in a time of significant global challenges and change.