The search for a candidate for the NATO Secretary General, which will be vacated due to Jens Stoltenberg’s appointment as the Chairman of the Central Bank of Norway, has begun.
The names of predominantly female candidates stand out for the post-Stoltenberg NATO Secretariat General seat, which will end in September as NATO Secretary General and will later become the Governor of the Central Bank of Norway.
It is stated that the alliance, which has never been managed by a female general secretary in its history and is therefore considered “one of the most male-dominated institutions”, may break new ground this time.
Jens Stoltenberg, former Prime Minister of Norway, has served as NATO Secretary General since 1 October 2014. However, he decided to leave his post due to his appointment as the Governor of the Central Bank of Norway.
Stoltenberg is expected to remain at NATO headquarters in Brussels until September. Starting from 2023, a new name will take the seat vacated by Stoltenberg.
For this reason, searches for a name to be Stoltenberg’s successor began in Brussels. A number of names began to be discussed in the lobby, including Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose name was prominent for the Presidency of the European Union (EU) Council but did not accept this task.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte flatly rejected his candidacy for NATO Secretary General in a statement to De Telegraaf newspaper. Saying that he is in a position he wants now, the Dutch Prime Minister said, “That’s why I’m not going to Brussels. I’m not a candidate for NATO Secretary General.”
According to sources in Brussels, the possibility that the newly elected secretary general will be a woman is becoming more and more prominent. The alliance, which has not been led by a female general secretary since its establishment in 1949 and is one of the “most dominantly male-dominated” institutions, has been criticized from time to time for this reason.
According to diplomatic sources, NATO now wants to soften its outlook. Therefore, the possibility of entrusting the post-Stoltenberg alliance to a female leader gains weight.
Among the leaders whose candidacy is discussed in the international media, the following names stand out:
- Sophie Wilmes, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Former British Prime Minister Theresa May
- Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas
- Former EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Federica Mogherini
- Former President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskait