Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte attends a press conference at NATO's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium April 17, 2024. (REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo)

Rutte's appointment became a formality after his only rival for the post, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, announced last week that he had quit the race, having failed to gain traction. Rutte will take over on Oct. 1 from Jens Stoltenberg of Norway, who is stepping down after a decade in the post.

Ambassadors from the alliance's 32 members took the decision at a meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels. After declaring his interest in the post last year, Rutte gained early support from key members of the alliance including the United States, Britain, France and Germany.