The official confirmation has arrived. The over thirty member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have appointed Mark Rutte as the new secretary general of the Atlantic Alliance. His mandate will last four years, with the possibility of renewal. The Prime Minister of the Netherlands will take over from the current head of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, starting on 2 October 2024. 

"It is a great honor to be appointed Secretary General of NATO. The Alliance is and will remain the cornerstone of our collective security. Leading this organization is a responsibility I do not take lightly. I am grateful to all allies for placing their trust I look forward to taking up office with great vigor in October, as successor to Stoltenberg, who has provided NATO with exceptional leadership over the last 10 years and for whom I have always had great admiration", Rutte wrote on social networks.

"President Joe Biden is convinced that Rutte will be a great secretary general of NATO", declared the spokesperson of the United States Security Council, John Kirby, in the course of a restricted press point with a group of journalists in recent hours. The nomination of the Dutch prime minister at the head of the Atlantic Alliance should be formalized in Washington by mid-July.

Applause also from the President of the Italian Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni: "In this particularly complex phase the Atlantic Alliance continues to represent the pillar of common security and Italy is ready to work together with the new secretary general and the allies in favor of peace and the protection of freedom".

Rutte was born in The Hague (Holland) on 14 February 1967, he is 57 years old. He is the son of a merchant who worked in India. He attended classical high school, then enrolled in the history faculty at Leiden University, a period in which he approached liberal politics. His work experience includes that of manager in companies such as Calvè and Unilever. He then dedicated his life to politics and is known for being an expert negotiator. Since 2010 he has been Prime Minister of the Netherlands.

On the topic, see also the article published by AVIONEWS.