The Netherlands shouldn’t be surprised if Mark Rutte doesn’t stand up to the class after all. Although he has always said he would become a teacher after his prime ministership, he is now not ruling out “something international”.
What if he is no longer prime minister? Mark Rutte has always been adamant about this, saying last year: “Then I will teach.” “I think I will do it for a while, and I really enjoy it. You have to do things in life that you don’t think about in the evening: Was it useful? In politics, there is sometimes a day when you think in the evening: Was all this useful? A teacher should not To never ask himself this question.
This certainty has disappeared. Suddenly it is not excluded that he will continue to do “something” in politics. He already had his doubts out loud on Budget Day. During a United Nations summit in New York, he responded to this Telegraph A step further: “I have a voice somewhere in the back of my mind that says: Should I once again risk my talent for something global? My hesitation is whether this doesn’t mean you’re just giving speeches. But I’m not ruling it out 100 percent.”
In De Navo
Should I once again risk my talent for something global?
Mark Ruti
Rutte’s name has been buzzing in Brussels for some time as the new Secretary General of NATO or President of the European Commission. Posts which he always flatly refused when asked about them. For several reasons: He did not want to leave his beloved The Hague. As Prime Minister he can always intervene in everything, whereas in such a different position you are less able to do so and are forced to hold endless meetings.
Ruti has been teaching social studies a few hours a week for years at a high school in The Hague, the Johan de Witt group of schools. Despite his busy schedule, he rarely misses a Thursday morning. He’s already figured out what papers he needs to obtain to start as a sidekicker.
Perhaps education is against him or he cannot do without politics. Or whether he will simply teach full-time for a while after his prime ministership, it’s anyone’s guess what Rutte has in mind. And also to people who say they know him well. Although everyone can tell from him that he still really enjoys his current job. But after thirteen years as prime minister and an increasingly important role on the international stage, the end is now drawing near.
The correct papers
If anyone knows whether leading NATO would be a job Rutte might like, it is Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, who was himself head of the alliance from 2004 to 2009. De wants to speculate about a possible nomination for Rutte for secretary-general. I hope, not Shaver. “Rutte always said ‘no’, but does Rutte have the right papers? Yes, that’s right.” “Rutte has built a lot of power abroad in recent years.”
Just those endless speeches and meetings that Ruttie doesn’t like so much, he has to come to terms with that. De Hoop Scheffer: “As Secretary General, you are the oil man who has to iron out political differences between NATO countries and with partner countries. This requires a lot of travel and consultation. We meet every week. As Secretary General, you are also the public face of the organization. You have to deliver a lot From speeches at universities and in national parliaments.
Current NATO head Jens Stoltenberg’s term expires in October 2024. The search for a successor has previously yielded nothing. The position of European President will also become available next year after the European elections in June. However, as a Liberal Party man, Rutte has little chance of getting the position. The committee president is elected by a majority of the new European Parliament, and each group votes for someone from its political family (the so-called spitzen candidate). In any case, the liberals will lose to the Christian Democrats or the Social Democrats.
Rutte himself says he was never asked anything. “So sad,” he laughs. And to add that he will not really think about his future until his premiership ends: “There is nothing concrete happening now.” But: “You only live once. You should always try to find places to make a positive contribution. As a teacher you do that. And you can also do that in politics.” An answer he could go in either direction if asked unexpectedly.
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