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Hungary is against Mark Rutte becoming NATO Secretary General. The Hungarian Foreign Minister said this at a press conference on Tuesday, explaining that the government could certainly not support the election of someone who “would have wanted to bring Hungary to its knees in the past.”
Speaking at a joint press conference with the secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said it would be “very strange if the Hungarian government supported the candidacy of such a person.”
Foreign Minister Szijjártó: Hungary is against Mark Rutte becoming NATO chief. We are not going to support someone who wanted to “bring Hungary to its knees.” We demand the respect we give to others. #nato #hungary #rutte pic.twitter.com/BOYa9ufLji
— Hidvéghi Balázs (@BalazsHidveghi) March 6, 2024
In 2021, Mark Rutte sharply criticized the Hungarian government. Speaking at an EU summit on a child protection bill that included LGBTQ people and was described as a “pedophile bill,” he said that Hungary should be brought to its knees to respect EU values. “They must recognize that either they are members of the European Union and thus share our values, or they must leave the Union,” the Dutch Prime Minister had said.
Rutte had already voiced sharp criticism in July 2020, suggesting that Hungary should be financially penalized. At the time, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that “it is not acceptable” that in the Dutch Prime Minister’s opinion, Hungary should be financially punished because of the rule of law issue, as there was no decision on the case yet.
Orbán: I dont know why Mark Rutte hates me or Hungary. But he is attacking so harshly and making calls to punish Hungary financially. This is unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/ZCIqUEfRU8
— Sándor Zsíros (@EuroSandor) July 19, 2020
Rutte was serving his fourth term in 2023, when he resigned in July after the collapse of the four-party coalition government. The collapse was due to the coalition parties’ failure to agree on migration policy. “It is no secret that the coalition partners have very different views on migration policy. (…) We have to draw the conclusion that those differences are irreconcilable,” he said at the time. Until the formation of the new Dutch government, Rutte and his government have remained in office in a caretaker capacity.
Hungary will not support Mark Rutte’s candidacy as NATO chief after Rutte “previously wanted to force Hungary on its knees”.
Payback time at it’s best and I’m here for it.
Keep it up, Hungary. pic.twitter.com/Ov2ujBv50m
— Eva Vlaardingerbroek (@EvaVlaar) March 6, 2024
The top post in the North Atlantic military-political alliance will soon become vacant, with outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte the most likely candidate for the post, according to Julianne Smith, the U.S. ambassador to NATO. The English-language news portal Dutch News reported the news in mid-February, quoting the U.S. diplomat as saying that “at the moment, Rutte is the only candidate the alliance is considering.”
The current NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg of Norway, will hold the post until October 2024, after his mandate was extended for another year in the summer of 2023. The former Norwegian Prime Minister has been NATO secretary general since October 1, 2014. Originally elected for a four-year term, his mandate was extended for two years in 2017, two more years in 2019, and one year each in 2022, and 2023.
Via MTI, Index, Sky News; Featured image: European Council