Brussels, London Mette Fredriksen abruptly interrupts her speech in the Danish Parliament. “What I just read here is not mine. Or from another person,” the head of government said last week. Your manuscript is written by artificial intelligence (AI), by the so-called all-powerful program ChatGPT. “Both fascinating and terrifying,” she concluded.
Denmark’s prime minister has earned a reputation far beyond his country’s borders for his unconventional personality. Her speech on artificial intelligence was also widely reported by the American media. Fredericksen was one of the most successful social democrats of her generation. When she was re-elected last November, her party had its best result in 20 years.
Against this backdrop, it is no surprise that the Dane is now being traded for the top job in Brussels: The 45-year-old is most likely to succeed NATO Secretary-General Jens Stowe, senior diplomats have confirmed to Handelsblatt. Ertenberg, whose term ends in October. Stoltenberg has made clear repeatedly that he is not seeking an extension.
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But according to Brussels, Stoltenberg is likely to serve for a few more months in order to give Fredericksen enough time for an orderly transition of government. A July NATO summit in Lithuania’s capital Vilnius could result in a decision on Stoltenberg’s actions.
From the perspective of her supporters, the main factor in Frederickson’s favor is her display of leadership. Denmark is one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters in Europe. The Danish government recently announced that it will significantly increase military spending. By 2030 at the latest, the country wants to meet NATO targets under which allies should spend the equivalent of 2 percent of their economic power on defense.
Fredricksen to become NATO’s first female leader
The fact that Frederickson is a woman also plays a role: In its nearly 75-year history, NATO has so far been led exclusively by men. The fact that U.S. President Joe Biden hosted the British prime minister at the White House this week sparked speculation in Brussels.
However, some NATO countries are uneasy about the fact that Fredricksen will travel to northern Europe again. The current Stoltenberg is Norwegian. His predecessor was the Dane Anders Fogg Rasmussen. Rasmussen also served as Prime Minister of Denmark before being appointed to Brussels. So far, general secretaries have come from northern, southern or western Europe.
Britain has a good reputation for its position in Ukraine, especially in Eastern Europe.
(Photo: via Reuters)
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace could pose a threat to Fredrickson. The London government has been promoting the 53-year-old Conservative for weeks. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will visit Washington on Thursday to present Wallace as a suitable candidate to US President Joe Biden.
“The UK has been a major contributor to NATO, delivering on its 2% commitment. We play a leading role in NATO operations and are seen as thought leaders,” Sunak said before heading to Washington. Wallace, who has served as defense secretary since 2019, is respected around the world for his military support of Ukraine.
Britain has strong case for Ben Wallace
At the same time, Sunak made two of the strongest arguments in favor of his candidate: that, unlike Denmark, the UK has met its financial obligations in NATO and even intends to spend 2.5 percent of its economic output in the long run. in national defense. Moreover, the British shipped arms to Ukraine early on, thus earning a reputation for staunch resistance to Putin’s aggression – even more so than Denmark. This is especially popular in Eastern Europe.
Wallace himself not only expressed his interest in the NATO post, but also made it clear where he would lead the alliance: “The world has become more dangerous, more uncertain, more anxious, and the next secretary-general must A post that has the necessary funding to make sure it doesn’t get out of hand,” the Briton told the Washington Post.
In other words, Wallace, who served part of his military service in Germany, will urge NATO members to continue to increase defense spending. “NATO needs to make sure its members are up to the task, and some members are healthier than others,” he said.
Wallace was still viewed as an outsider in Brussels. Resistance is said to have come from France in particular. In the eyes of the French, Wallace’s security policy thinking was too American. Fredrickson could end up being everyone’s acceptable candidate.
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