Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte is expected to become NATO’s new secretary general after his only challenger dropped out.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis notified the military alliance that he will withdraw his request at the end of last week, according to his office on Thursday.
The two have been vying to succeed Jens Stoltenberg, whose tenure ends in October.
Mr Rutte is the sole remaining contender in the contest, but he has yet to be officially confirmed by member states.
Mr Rutte has been credited with dealing positively with Mr Trump in the past.
Mr Rutte put his hat in the ring for Nato’s top job after saying he would leave politics in wake of the collapse of his coalition government last summer.
His replacement, Dick Schoof, was picked by the new Dutch coalition partners at the end of May, opening the path for Mr Rutte’s resignation.
Mr Rutte’s support for Ukraine, as well as his 14-year tenure at the top of European politics, garnered him the endorsement of numerous Nato countries, including prominent figures in the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and Germany.
However, three member nations – Hungary, Romania, and Turkey – first refused.
After voicing doubts, Turkey stated “it would support Mr Rutte’s bid after the Dutch PM travelled there in April to speak with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Associated Press reported at the time.”
The next Nato summit is due to be held in Washington DC in July.
