Turkey supports outgoing Dutch PM Rutte's bid for NATO chief

(Patria) - Turkey has told its NATO allies that Ankara will support the candidacy of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for the post of secretary general of the military alliance, a high-ranking Turkish official said on Monday, AP reported.

The official said Turkey informed NATO diplomats in Brussels on Monday. The decision comes three days after Rutte traveled to Turkey to seek support from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his candidacy. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in accordance with Turkish government protocol.

The current NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister who has been NATO's top civilian official since 2014, is nearing the end of his term. His mandate has been extended several times as the alliance sought to maintain a steady hand at the helm following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

NATO members Turkey and Hungary had previously expressed reservations about Rutte's candidacy, and Erdogan had not made a commitment at a joint press conference with Rutte on Friday. NATO officials and envoys want the nomination for Stoltenberg's successor to be completed by the end of April, before the serious contest for top EU jobs begins around the June 6-9 elections. They want to avoid the issue of potential divisions marring the summit for the alliance's 75th anniversary in Washington in July.

NATO secretaries general are responsible for chairing meetings and conducting sometimes delicate consultations among member countries to ensure that the consensus-based organization can continue to function. They also ensure that decisions are implemented and speak on behalf of all members.