Mark Rutte is named NATO chief. He’ll need all his consensus-building skills from Dutch politics

Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Mark Rutte knows a thing or two about finding consensus among fractious coalition partners. He’s learned it over the course of more than a dozen years at the top of Dutch politics. Now he will bring the experience of leading four Dutch multiparty governments to NATO. The organization’s ambassadors appointed the Dutch prime minister on Wednesday to NATO’s top civilian post and Rutte will take up the job in October. The alliance’s secretary general chairs meetings and guides sometimes delicate consultations among the 32 NATO member countries to ensure that an alliance that operates on consensus can continue to function.