NATO member states could ask Mr Stoltenberg to take up a fourth term as Secretary General.
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| NATO consists of 31 member countries, stretching from the US through Finland to Türkiye. (Source: AP) |
The race to become the next leader of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is heating up, albeit largely quietly and with no clear winner in sight.
Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, the Norwegian Secretary General of NATO, will step down at the end of September this year after 9 years in this position.
Many members of the organization want Mr. Stoltenberg's succession to be completed before or during the NATO summit in Lithuania in mid-July. This leaves little time for NATO to reach the consensus needed to choose a new leader.
They could also ask Mr Stoltenberg to take up a fourth term.
NATO consists of 31 member countries, stretching from the United States through Finland to Türkiye.
Whoever takes over as NATO Secretary General will face the dual challenge of keeping the bloc united in supporting Ukraine and guarding against any escalation that could drag the organization directly into conflict with Russia, analysts say.
One person well-placed to judge what is at stake is former alliance leader Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who told a news conference this month that NATO allies should not rush into decisions.
British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said last week he would like the job. However, as several governments push for the first female NATO secretary general, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is also emerging as a strong contender.
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