NATO, elections for new leader, "will be the least transparent of all"

BRUSSELS - A European diplomat has called the electoral process for the position of Secretary General of the Alliance "the least transparent elections" after the end of Jens Stoltenberg's mandate. "This is the least transparent election of all," a European diplomat quoted by Foreign Policy told the agency. The procedure for choosing the Secretary General consists of consultations among the member countries of the alliance. It is assumed that the decision should be based on an agreement between all members, but in reality the US, Germany, France and the UK have the most influence.

Among the possible candidates, according to the magazine, the most discussed are Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Deputy Prime Minister of Canada Chrystia Freeland, who, according to the publication, is supported in Washington, and Estonian Prime Minister Kaia Kallas. Candidates from Slovakia, Croatia, Lithuania, Great Britain and other states are also under discussion. Stoltenberg was supposed to resign on October 1 last year, but in March the leaders of the countries of the Alliance agreed during the summit to extend his mandate until September 30, 2023.

In 2021, Politico, citing sources, reported that three women politicians from Eastern Europe could become likely candidates for the post of next NATO Secretary General: former presidents of Croatia and Lithuania Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and Dalia Grybauskaite, as well as former Estonian chief Kersti Kaljulaid.