Rutte today ‘privately’ at NATO job application with Erdogan, pressco around 4:30 PM

Rutte is in Istanbul today, but not on behalf of the government, not with the Government Information Service and not with the government plane – he just bought a ticket for a scheduled flight. However, he is accompanied by the Dutch ambassador. Rutte currently has support from 28 of the 32 NATO countries for his candidacy as the new Secretary General.

Sources report to the NOS that Rutte with all four remaining countries “in discussion is about his interpretation of NATO leadership“. Romania has its own ‘candidate’, Hungary says it does not support Rutte (yet) because Rutte was so homosexual about Hungary’s LGBTI legislation, Slovakia is still ‘doubting’ and Turkey must therefore take a moment today.wined and dined be at the bazaar.

Clingendaels Turk expert Nienke van Heukelingen about Erdogan: “He sees his moment to enforce guarantees on issues that are important to Turkey. Just as he did with the accession of Finland and Sweden. (…) In fact, Rutte is going for a job interview with Erdogan (…). Rutte’s cards are well placed, but it is certainly not settled yet (…). We have often seen in the past that Erdogan changes course at the last minute.“

We expect the press conference around 4:30 PM. And if Turkey is the second largest NATO armed force, we expect those three Eastern blockers will also quickly back down.