Romania wants to nominate its president for NATO Secretary General

Romania has announced that it plans to nominate its president, Klaus Johannis, for the post of secretary general, which could complicate the efforts of other NATO members to appoint Mark Rutte.

This was reported to Bloomberg by European officials.

With the support of the United States, the United Kingdom, and other major countries, Rutte has been considered a favorite for the post of NATO Secretary General for several months after the term of the current head of the Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, expires in October.

However, some countries on NATO's eastern flank are not giving Rutte the green light, as they insist on greater regional representation in the organization's leadership.

The last heads of the Alliance were representatives of the Scandinavian countries or the Netherlands.

Johannis' press office did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment. A spokesman for Rutte said that the decision on the next secretary-general should be made by NATO allies and declined to comment further.

European and American officials have expressed doubts about Johannis' chances, with some saying that Romanian pressure is likely to only delay Rutte's confirmation process.

Author - Olena Madiak, 22/02/2024