Romania's president announces his bid to become the NATO military alliance's next leader
Romania's President Klaus Iohannis announces candidacy for NATO leader against Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
- Bilawal Riaz
- 1 min read
Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis has announced his candidacy to become the next leader of NATO, aiming to succeed Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Iohannis emphasized the threat from Russia and the importance of NATO’s borders, particularly in the face of Russian aggression. This announcement puts him in competition with outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who is favored for the position. The Baltic states prefer one of their top officials for the role, while some countries have reservations about Rutte. The decision on Stoltenberg’s successor was expected to be made in July, but with no consensus reached, NATO officials aim to finalize the nomination before April’s end to prevent any disruption ahead of the alliance’s 75th-anniversary summit in July.