Mark Rutte Set to Lead NATO as Hungary and Slovakia Pledge Support

NATO's 32 nations are expected to formally name outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as their new Secretary-General in the coming days. The decision comes after Romanian President Klaus Iohannis withdrew his bid for the position, citing support from NATO allies and a meeting with Romania's supreme defense council. According to reports, Rutte was seen by allies as the right leader due to his direct manner and pragmatic approach.

Mark Rutte, the current Prime Minister of the Netherlands, is expected to become the next head of NATO after Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán dropped his objections. Orbán had previously expressed concerns about Rutte's stance on supporting Ukraine, but Rutte provided written guarantees that he would not force Hungary to participate in NATO plans to support Kyiv, alleviating these concerns. As a result, Orbán announced his support for Rutte's bid to become the next NATO secretary-general. Rutte's assurances have removed a major obstacle to his candidacy, and it is likely that all 31 NATO countries except Romania will back his bid. Slovakia has also expressed its support for Rutte, while Hungary and Slovakia have both endorsed him as the next head of NATO. The selection process is expected to conclude "very soon".