Outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte will not succeed NATO CEO Jens Stoltenberg next year. “I’m not competing,” he said upon arriving at the NATO summit in Lithuania.
Rumors about a transition from Rutte to NATO have been circulating for years. The military alliance asked Stoltenberg to stay for another year, because there was no agreement on a successor. But next year the Norwegian will really leave. When Rutte announced his departure from Dutch politics on Monday, it led to renewed speculation about a successor to NATO headquarters.
But Rutte is ‘out of the race’, he underlines. After his consistent public “no”, even the leaders of the other NATO countries won’t try to convince him, he thinks. “I think they heard me now.” Rutte is at most interested in the presidency of the European Commission, was the recent impression of insiders. Other international jobs would not interest him.
No questions about the locker drop
Rutte also has not been questioned by other leaders about the fall of his cabinet and the announcement of his departure, he says. If they do, he will explain to them that the Netherlands has a “very special” coalition system that governments can simply fall into.
Dutch stature abroad will not be affected by his departure, Rutte believes. According to him, this is mainly due to diplomats and officials. Occasionally a prime minister or other minister may “run a ball”, but “to be honest, it’s still the easiest way”. He doesn’t want to think back on the turbulent days in The Hague, but “get back to work now”.
Source: BNR
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