Former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to replace Jens Stoltenberg at the head of NATO • FRANCE 24

Over the course of more than a dozen years at the top of Dutch politics, Mark Rutte got to know a thing or two about finding consensus among fractious coalition partners. Now he's on track to bring the experience of leading four Dutch multiparty governments to the international stage as NATO's new secretary general. For more information FRANCE 24's Gavin Lee interviews Atlantic Council Senior Advisor in Washington DC, James J. Townsend.
#NATO #MarkRutte #JensStoltenberg
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[@gawkthimm6030]

'Teflon mark' Rutte -know for the times he has skirted away from consequences of controversy and how he has been able not to have anything bad stick to his legal reputation

[@pierretriolo9830]

Rutte seems like a good candidate, very capable

[@madenaraputra6887]

The NATO should be have of "Chief President" as first of highest-leader in NATO leader, the Secretary General as second of NATO leadership.

[@johnmcentegart007]

Thank you for the update...

[@panoszouzos8052]

NATO always needed a clown. Fits the strategy.

[@janie7242]

What do you mean by the second term of Trump? No T. He is the shame of the USA. No way! Please.🙄😒

[@SilverSquirrel]

A WEF drone running NATO. That's just great.

[@peabase]

A conspiracy theorist running his mouth. That's just meh.

[@desiebawden61]

Shame 🌎😳

[@SeemoreDunkan]

Let's hope he's tougher on Putin than Jens..

[@MTMF.london]

Jens has been as tough as he can be without declaring war outright on Putin/Russia bro - and it isn't up to him. You will recall the so-called members (Turkiye and Hungary) who would rather cozy up to Putin and a few others (Slovakia) who balked at sending military aid to Ukraine.

[@Pierluigi_Di_Lorenzo]

He does not decide anything, he's a spokesperson for the collective.

[@Delower1]

😂😂joke

[@tonyhunt9001]

from one clown to another

[@fredkite9330]

Really Tony? I think you are the Clown. Rutte is the best choice.

[@richardm4825]

Rutte knows well what Russia did to MH-17.

[@ruthjilani4760]

God protect Europe an otjer schwab guy

[@reginafefifofina]

7:15 correct, Mark Rutte isn’t on TikTok, Pinterest or X… maybe he is, I’m not 😂 Maybe if he gets on Jimmy Kimmel or dates a celebrity it will help?

[@amilaperera1]

Meanwhile Zelensky asked for more missiles. Putin provides them all. Rutte better to avoid this position.

[@krishnakatikitala-bw1xo]

Now we have Dutch courage 😂😂😂 in NATO

[@peabase]

Don't blindly copy your former overlords, the Brits.

[@philipen65888]

Where in the world is Macron precisely admired? 😂 He is radiculed in many places though.

[@MTMF.london]

Just because you don't know does not mean it isn't so mate. Every politician is ridiculed somewhere.

[@stupidburp]

Disappointing. Yet another diplomat from Western Europe when we need a stronger general from Eastern Europe. The war in Europe is here already yet we get Rutte as the 4th SG from the Netherlands just to charm and smile. We need a military focused hard liner to fight a war. Not another do nothing.

[@Mark-FR_26]

NATO already has a militairy chief (atm an admiral and former chief of defence) for militairy matters and tactics. A Secretary General is gonna be the chairmen of meetings, mediator between member states and talks to the public/media or other countries about collective decisions. The job of a Secretary General much more resembles that of a Prime Minister or diplomat, so you're gonna need one of those to do it.

[@stupidburp]

@@Mark-FR_26 The military leadership of NATO is even more lopsided in representation for member countries. In the past this might have been debated away by the difference in experience with available leadership but Eastern European military officers have been deeply involved in the same conflicts for decades now.

[@stupidburp]

Even if the existing military leadership is highly capable, motivated, and invested in the defense of Eastern Europe they still are limited by the efforts or lack of it on the political side. Rutte might be able to wrangle consensus to do very little but that doesn't give enough for the military to be fully prepared and increases the risk of expanded conflicts through inadequate deterrence.

[@bayafrica5909]

Stoltenberg may be stiff in the application of the UN Charter on NATO concerns of the Russian decades long annexations. But SecGen Rutte is alot more hawkish in approach if you'd ask me.

[@happymelon7129]

Jens Stoltenberg = empire asset . Mark Rutte = ??

[@ec3076]

He is the worst choice possible.

[@alexbakker8785]

Who would you have liked to see for this position?

[@ec3076]

@@alexbakker8785 Your boyfriend.

[@ec3076]

@@Anonymous-hz3zz You're not. 🤡

[@Anonymous-hz3zz]

@@ec3076 liking your own comments, eh?

[@stupidburp]

Dalia Grybauskaitė or Kaja Kallas would have been much better.

[@user-py2ik5ho9n]

I'll support him. Let's go dutch.

[@glenbolderson9279]

Is he any any smarter than the last stuffed shirt? I doubt it.

[@rubenreyes4477]

Change of Command usually involves the best man to replace the vacant position..

[@Pierluigi_Di_Lorenzo]

The top military commander in NATO is the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), currently General Christopher G. Cavoli of the United States Army. The SACEUR is responsible for overseeing all NATO military operations. The NATO Secretary is not in command, he's a spokesperson, facilitates discussions and helps build consensus. He has no decision power.

[@rubenreyes4477]

@@Pierluigi_Di_Lorenzo - Good for I thought the NATO Sec. Gen. is responsible for arms control and deliveries to a country that needs..

[@fredkite9330]

Super good choice, NATO will be strong again. He was responsible for F16s for Ukraine.

[@maxbenti320]

Disgusting

[@OlafScholz-dj2mn]

If you replace one madman with another, nothing will change.

[@gw7120]

Should be a military man , no a politican

[@MTMF.london]

Secretary General of NATO is not a military post but an administrative post. There is a military wing of NATO staffed by heads of armed forces and defence ministers of member states.

[@stupidburp]

It should be a stronger politician dedicated to the defense of Europe, not an appeaser like Rutte. Dalia Grybauskaitė or Kaja Kallas from Eastern Europe would be better choices.

[@MTMF.london]

@@stupidburp NATO is a defensive alliance and diplomacy is its main priority, not belligerence. Rutte is pretty firm on where he stands regarding Putin/Russia. He has been a fierce critic of Putin and a major driving force behind Europe's military support for Ukraine. He is no appeaser.

[@renekuipers4563]

Wrong .Nato chief is usa ..Only for good relations between countries

[@hummingbird6427]

the last thing Ukrainian's troop need from the NATO "a good sense of humor" 😂

[@DavisWorthington]

USA out of NATO now!