DPA: NATO has to find a successor to Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who is set to leave his post to head Norway’s central bank, the Norwegian Finance Ministry announced in Oslo on Friday.
“I am grateful for the trust and look forward to the task,” said Stoltenberg at a press conference held by the Norwegian Finance Ministry on Friday.
Stoltenberg, who served as Norwegian prime minister from 2005 to 2013, has been NATO secretary general since 2014. His current term is set to expire in September and was not expected to be renewed, as few NATO heads stay in post for more than five years.
During his tenure, Stoltenberg earned plaudits for skilfully balancing the sometimes very different interests of the 30 NATO member states. He is credited with moderating a dispute about defence spending by European member states, which escalated during the presidency of Donald Trump. Trump at one point even threatened to withdraw from the alliance, which could have led to the de facto collapse of the trans-Atlantic alliance.
However, Stoltenberg is not without his detractors. There has been sustained criticism of his handling of the Ukraine crisis, particularly in Western and Southern European capitals, where he has been accused behind closed doors of alarmist statements and of constantly imagining worst-case scenarios. In the view of his critics, Stoltenberg’s approach has run the risk of further escalation.
There is no obvious successor for Stoltenberg at NATO. According to alliance sources, former British prime minister Theresa May, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, former EU foreign affairs commissioner Federica Mogherini and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis have all been touted as possible candidates for the job.
A decision is expected to be made by the 30 NATO member states at their summit in June, if not before. In the run-up to the selection process, negotiations and confidential discussions between the leaders of member states, ministers and top diplomats are the norm.
Stoltenberg’s candidacy for his new post at Norway’s central bank was controversial in his home country, partly due to his close friendship with current Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, a fellow social democrat.
Ida Wolden Bache, the current deputy head of the central bank, had also been discussed as a candidate. Wolden Bache is to take over temporarily in March until Stoltenberg takes office, probably at the beginning of December.
