Turkey has voiced its support for outgoing Prime Minister Rutte as a potential NATO chief, as reported by Turkish and NATO sources, as reported by NOS.
The Turkish state news agency Anadolu stated that Turkish officials had informed other NATO countries of Turkey’s support for Rutte. Reuters also confirmed this from Turkish sources. Earlier, NATO sources had already mentioned this commitment.
Last week, Rutte visited Istanbul for a meeting with Turkish President Erdogan. Turkey was one of the last four NATO countries that had not yet expressed support for Rutte.
Turkey’s support is a significant step in Rutte’s bid to become NATO Secretary-General. Now, only Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania need to be convinced. Rutte requires their support because his appointment requires unanimous support from all 32 NATO member states.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has positioned himself as an alternative to Rutte but has received little support.
NATO correspondent Kysia Hekster stated, “This is not entirely surprising, but it is a significant step towards Rutte’s appointment. Turkey is one of NATO’s key members. It is expected that Iohannis will soon withdraw as a candidate since he lacks substantial support. It is anticipated that Rutte will likely receive support from Romania and Slovakia soon.”
Last Friday, the outgoing Prime Minister traveled to Istanbul on his own initiative. He personally purchased a plane ticket for a regular commercial flight. That same day, he had a “very positive meeting” with Erdogan.
Initially, the appointment of the new Secretary-General was expected on April 4, the day NATO celebrated its 75th anniversary. However, with unanimous support from the 32 countries not guaranteed, the decision is expected to be made no later than the summit in Washington, from July 9 to 11.
