Romania’s President Klaus Johannis Announces Intention To Become NATO Secretary General

President Klaus Iohannis officially announced on Tuesday, March 12, that he would enter the competition for the position of Secretary General of NATO based on “Romania’s performance in the North Atlantic Alliance, the experience gained from the two presidential terms, and the deep understanding of the challenges faced by NATO and Europe.”

His announcement was immediately followed by an editorial in Politico named Romanian President: A Vision for NATO’s Future, a sign that the candidature had been prepared long before.

Even so, NATO’s pillar countries, namely the USA, the UK and France, didn’t react to his intention.

I undertake this candidacy on behalf of Romania with all responsibility, and this decision is based on Romania’s performance, the experience accumulated during the two mandates of Romania’s president, the deep understanding of the challenges faced by NATO, Europe, and especially our region, and my firm commitment to NATO’s core values and objectives.

Romania’s President Klaus Johannis on his candidacy to NATO’s highest position

The USA, Great Britain and France had announced that they support Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for the post of NATO Secretary General. Still, Johannis plays his role in the regional context. Also, the Eastern European countries could support his candidacy.

Even though there won’t be voting inside the Alliance for the position that Secretary General Stoltenberg will leave this October, Johannis has some strong points here.

On the one hand, he’s Eastern European, so he has the support of Eastern European countries. On the other hand, he is German by ethnicity. Germany could support him, at least from this perspective, if not for the support Joahnnis offered to Germany during his presidential years.

Besides, Romania already has a high position at NATO – Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana; so a Romanian at the highest level in the Alliance is not unusual. Additionally, NATO’s Secretary General could come from a country neighbouring Ukraine, which could send a solid message from a regional security perspective.

The weaknesses here are apparent: his candidacy opposes a public opinion already assumed by the states mentioned above. Also, he’s not the best in communication or negotiations within the Alliance, and this was visible throughout his two mandates as Romania’s President. From this perspective alone, his candidacy announcement is at least unusual, but he’s got a pretty good chance of being supported and named Secretary General.

Klaus Iohannis, Romania’s right-wing President since December 2014, is a figure of stability and continuity in Romanian politics. Before ascending to the presidency, Iohannis served as the mayor of Sibiu, one of Romania’s most popular tourist destinations and a cultural hub.

Known for his calm demeanour and pragmatic approach to governance, Iohannis advocates for solid anti-corruption measures, judicial independence, and closer ties with the European Union and NATO.

A representative of the National Liberal Party, he is the first Romanian president of German ethnicity, symbolizing the country’s diverse cultural heritage and European aspirations.