Stoltenberg’s successor will be chosen in Vilnius in July. Sanna Marin is seen to have many of the qualities required of a general secretary. However, he has not featured in recent speculations.
AMSTERDAM / BRUSSELS British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has not held his candle under the bushel regarding the position of Secretary General opening in NATO.
The British minister is considered one of the strongest candidates to succeed NATO’s Jens Stoltenberg.
We asked Wallace, who met in Amsterdam, how he feels about the role of Secretary General and the discussion about the appointment.
– I love my current position, but of course we also hold the position of general secretary in high esteem. It is a very important task, says Wallace.
According to Wallace, NATO countries must continue to support Ukraine and invest in improving their own performance.
Most member countries currently do not meet NATO’s goal, according to which member countries should spend two percent of their gross domestic product on defense.
– Presidents Obama, Trump and Biden were united by the notion that Europe should take greater responsibility for its own defense. I think this is not an unreasonable demand, says Wallace.
Unanimous NATO decision
The candidate who wants to become Secretary General must convince all 31 NATO member countries of his suitability for the job. In Brussels, France’s readiness to support the British candidate for the position of Secretary General is suspected in particular.
– Wallace would be a great candidate, but first he would have to talk to Paris, says an expert from the German Marshall Foundation based in Brussels Bruno Leté To .
In the background, differences of opinion on EU and NATO cooperation as well as the scars left by Britain’s exit from the EU have an effect.
– There are countries in NATO that have a very strong belief in the common defense of the EU and that did not appreciate Britain’s decision to leave the EU, Lété states.
Ultimately, however, the decision on the Secretary General is in the hands of the United States, Lété reminds. It is impossible to ignore NATO’s power when filling leadership positions.
In Denmark’s Frederiksen lift
Prime Minister of Denmark by Mette Frederiksen Last week’s visit to the White House has been interpreted as a sign that the Danish leader has the upper hand for the position of Secretary General.
The Danish media is already speculating on Frederiksen’s successor as prime minister if NATO’s doors open to the Dane.
– Frederiksen meets many requirements: she is a woman, she is young and she has good relations with the United States, the Marshall Foundation’s Lété lists.
However, being Nordic can be an obstacle on Frederiksen’s NATO path, Lété continues.
According to him, there may also be opposition in the member states to electing a third Nordic Secretary General, Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg and Danish Anders Fogh-Rasmussen after.
According to Lété, the same also applies to the prime minister To Sanna Marinwho otherwise would have many of the desired qualities of a general secretary.
– He has shown international leadership and pushed for Ukraine’s cause. He also has a good relationship with Washington, says Lété.
However, Marin has not appeared in recent speculations to succeed Stoltenberg.
Time for an Eastern European candidate?
Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas has also been featured in successor considerations. However, his hard line on Russia may be too much for some NATO countries.
– This is a difficult question for NATO. On the other hand, it would be time to elect a general secretary from Eastern Central Europe. But I am very afraid that such a candidate would be seen as too anti-Russian and pro-Ukraine, Lété estimates.
He emphasizes that the Secretary General must be able to understand the different positions of the allies, and mediate between them.
If there is no consensus on the new Secretary General, the NATO countries can also ask Jens Stoltenberg to continue in his position. Events on the Ukrainian front may influence the decision made at the Vilnius summit.
– At the moment, the idea is that Stoltenberg would leave his position in the fall. But if things happen on the Ukrainian front that require NATO’s full attention, it is possible that he will be asked to continue in his role, says Bruno Lété.
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