Following a decade-long tenure, Stoltenberg relinquishes the position of NATO Secretary General to Rutte.
57-year-old ex-Prime Minister of Holland, Mark Rutte, takes up the role of NATO Secretary-General today, on a Tuesday, replacing Jens Stoltenberg. Rutte secured this position through a votes cast by the 32 governing bodies of the Atlantic defense alliance in the heart of summer. With a tenure of at least four years ahead,
Stoltenberg, a 65-year-old Norwegian, has occupied this position for a decade and is set to hand it over to Christoph Heusgen, who will be leading the Munich Security Conference (MSC). Besides Rutte, only the Dutchman, Joseph Luns, served a longer term as NATO's leading international official, from 1971 to 1984.
In recent times, Stoltenberg has spearheaded the fortification of the alliance's deterrence and defense competencies, which were prompted following Russia's conflict with Ukraine. He also supervised backing for Ukraine and the enrollment of Sweden and Finland into the alliance. The membership count swelled from 28 to 32 during his term.
The pivotal responsibility of NATO's Secretary-General includes managing diplomatic consultation processes among the allies, fostering consensus, even on contentious matters. As a recommendation maker, his role is instrumental, particularly during periods of crises or conflicts. Furthermore, the Secretary-General represents the alliance internationally and holds the position of the chief administrative officer at NATO headquarters.
The 57-year-old Mark Rutte is now assumed the role of NATO Secretary-General, following in the footsteps of Jens Stoltenberg. As the new Secretary-General, Rutte will be responsible for managing diplomatic consultation processes among the allies and representing NATO internationally.
