Mark Rutte

Mark Rutte
Rutte in 2023
14th Secretary General of NATO
Assumed office
1 October 2024
DeputyBoris Ruge (acting)
Preceded byJens Stoltenberg
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office
14 October 2010 – 2 July 2024
Monarchs
Deputy
See list
Preceded byJan Peter Balkenende
Succeeded byDick Schoof
Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
In office
31 May 2006 – 14 August 2023
Preceded byJozias van Aartsen
Succeeded byDilan Yeşilgöz
State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science
In office
17 June 2004 – 27 June 2006
Prime MinisterJan Peter Balkenende
Preceded byAnnette Nijs
Succeeded byBruno Bruins
State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment
In office
22 July 2002 – 17 June 2004
Prime MinisterJan Peter Balkenende
Preceded byHans Hoogervorst
Succeeded byHenk van Hoof
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
31 March 2021 – 10 January 2022
In office
23 March 2017 – 26 October 2017
In office
20 September 2012 – 5 November 2012
In office
28 June 2006 – 14 October 2010
In office
30 January 2003 – 27 May 2003
Personal details
Born (1967-02-14) 14 February 1967 (age 57)
The Hague, Netherlands
Political partyPeople's Party for Freedom and Democracy
EducationLeiden University (BA, MA)
Signature

Mark Rutte (Dutch: [ˈmɑr(ə)k ˈrʏtə] ; born 14 February 1967) is a Dutch politician who has served as the 14th secretary-general of NATO since October 2024.[1] He previously served as the prime minister of the Netherlands from 2010 to 2024, and as the leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) from 2006 to 2023. Serving a total of almost 14 years, Rutte is the longest-serving prime minister in Dutch history.

After originally embarking on a business management career working for Unilever, Rutte entered national politics in 2002 as a member of Jan Peter Balkenende's cabinets. Rutte won the 2006 VVD leadership election and led the party to victory in the 2010 general election. After lengthy coalition negotiations, he became prime minister of the Netherlands. He was the first self-described liberal to be appointed prime minister in 92 years.[2]

An impasse on budget negotiations led to his government's early collapse in April 2012, but the VVD's victory in the subsequent election allowed Rutte to return as prime minister to lead his second cabinet between the VVD and the Labour Party (PvdA), which became the first cabinet to complete a full four-year term since 1998. Though the VVD lost seats in the 2017 general election, it remained the largest party. After a record-length formation period, Rutte was appointed to lead his third cabinet between the VVD, Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), Democrats 66 (D66) and Christian Union (CU).

Though Rutte and his cabinet resigned in response to the Dutch childcare benefits scandal,[3][4][5] the VVD would go on to win the 2021 general election.[6][7] Rutte began his fourth term in 2022 after another record-length formation period. On 7 July 2023, he announced his government's resignation after the cabinet failed to agree on how to handle migration.[8][9] Rutte IV would continue on as an outgoing cabinet, fulfilling a caretaker function and keeping the nation running until the Schoof cabinet was sworn in on 2 July 2024.[10]

Due to his ability to come out of political scandals with an untarnished reputation, Rutte has been referred to as Teflon Mark.[11] He has been described as ideologically flexible and pragmatic, willing to accommodate a broad range of political factions in order to address issues.[12]

  1. ^ "Mark Rutte takes office as NATO Secretary General". NATO. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Mark Rutte: eerste liberale premier sinds 1918" (in Dutch). eenvandaag.nl. 7 October 2010. Archived from the original on 26 May 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  3. ^ "Dutch PM Rutte and his government quit over child welfare scandal". Al Jazeera. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  4. ^ "The buck stops here: Dutch govt quits over welfare scandal". Associated Press. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his entire Cabinet resign over child welfare scandal". CBS News. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Netherlands election: Mark Rutte claims fourth term with 'overwhelming' victory". The Guardian. 18 March 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his entire Cabinet resign over child welfare scandal". CBS News. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Mark Rutte resigns as Dutch PM amid migration dispute – National | Globalnews.ca", Global News, retrieved 7 July 2023
  9. ^ Corder, Mike (7 July 2023). "Dutch premier resigns because of deadlock on thorny issue of migration, paving way for new elections". Associated Press. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  10. ^ Moses, Claire; Bilefsky, Dan (7 July 2023). "Dutch Government Collapses Over Plan to Further Limit Immigration". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  11. ^ Henley, Jon (14 December 2021). "'Teflon' Mark Rutte set for fourth Dutch term after record-breaking talks". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  12. ^ de Gruyter, Caroline (28 June 2024). "NATO's New Leader Was Planning This the Whole Time". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 23 June 2024.

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