Secretary General of NATO#Deputy Secretary General

Article 9 of the North Atlantic Treaty requires NATO members to "establish a Council, on which each of them shall be represented."{{cite web|title = The North Atlantic Treaty| url = http://www.nato.int/docu/basictxt/treaty.htm}} Accordingly, the North Atlantic Council was formed. Initially the Council consisted of NATO members' foreign ministers and met annually.{{Cite web|url=http://archives.nato.int/nato-first-5-years-1949-1954-by-lord-ismay-secretary-general-of-north-atlantic-treaty-organization;isad|last=Ismay|first=Lord|title=NATO-The first 5 years 1949-1954|page= 24}} In May 1950, the desire for closer coordination on a day-to-day basis led to the appointment of Council deputies, permanently based in London and overseeing the workings of the organization. Deputies were given full decision-making authority within the North Atlantic Council, but their work was supplemented by occasional meetings of the NATO foreign ministers.Ismay, p. 28 The chairman of the deputies was given responsibility "for directing the organization and its work," including all of its civilian agencies.{{cite book|title = NATO Final Communiques 1949-1974| publisher = NATO Information Service | chapter = 15th - 18th May: London| page = 56}}

The Council deputies met for the first time on July 25, 1950, and selected Charles Spofford, the United States deputy, as their chairman.Ismay, p. 31 Several important organisational changes quickly followed the establishment of Council deputies, most notably the establishment of a unified military command under a single supreme allied commander.Ismay, p. 37 This unification and the growing challenges facing NATO led to rapid growth in the institutions of the organisation and in 1951, NATO was reorganized to streamline and centralize its bureaucracy. As part of the organization, the Council deputies were delegated with the authority to represent their governments in all matters, including those related to defense and finance, not just foreign affairs, greatly increasing their power and importance.Ismay, p. 41File:Secretary of Defense Caspar W. Weinberger meets with Secretary General of NATO Luns in the Pentagon 1983.jpg meets with United States Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger on 25 May 1983.]]As the authority of the deputies increased, and the size of the organization grew, NATO established the Temporary Council Committee, chaired by W. Averell Harriman. This group established an official secretariat in Paris to command NATO's bureaucracy.Ismay, p.44 The committee also recommended that "the agencies of NATO needed to be strengthened and co-ordinate", and emphasized the need for someone other than the chairman of the North Atlantic Council to become the senior leader of the alliance.Ismay, p.46 In February 1952, North Atlantic Council accordingly established the position of secretary general to manage all civilian agencies of the organization, control its civilian staff, and serve the North Atlantic Council.Ismay, p. 48File:1997 Maastricht, informele NAVO-top (2).jpg and Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev on 1 October 1997.]]After the Lisbon Conference, the NATO states began looking for a person who could fill the role of secretary general. The position was first offered to Oliver Franks, the British ambassador to the United States, but he declined. Then, on March 12, 1952, the North Atlantic Council selected Hastings Ismay, a general from the Second World War, and secretary of state for commonwealth relations in the British cabinet as secretary general.{{cite web|url = https://archives.nato.int/resolution-on-appointement-of-lord-ismay-as-vice-chairman-of-north-atlantic-council-and-secretary-general-of-nato;isad | title = Resolution on the Appointement of Lord Ismay}} Unlike later secretaries general who served as chairman of the North Atlantic Council, Ismay was made the vice chairman of the council, with Spofford continuing to serve as chairman. Ismay was selected because of his high rank in the war, and his role "at the side of Churchill ... in the highest Allied Councils." As both a soldier and a diplomat, he was considered uniquely qualified for the position, and enjoyed the full support of all the NATO states.{{cite news|title = Ismay Named Civilian Chief of Atlantic Pact Organization|work = The New York Times | first = Clifton | last = Daniel | date = March 13, 1952}}

Several months later, after Spofford retired from NATO, the structure of the North Atlantic Council was changed slightly. One member of the council was selected annually as the president of the North Atlantic Council (a largely ceremonial role), and the secretary general officially became the deputy president of the council, as well as the chair of its meetings.Fedder, p. 10 Ismay served as secretary general until retiring in May, 1957.Brosio, p. 39File:Secretary of State for Defense Michael Fallon (left), Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, German Minister of Defense Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg meet 151008-D-LN567-076.jpg, German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter and UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon in Brussels, October 2015.]]

After Ismay, Paul-Henri Spaak, an international diplomat and former prime minister of Belgium, was selected as the second secretary general. Unlike Ismay, Spaak had no military experience, so his appointment represented a "deemphasis of the strictly military side of the Atlantic Alliance."{{cite news|title = Spaak for Ismay| newspaper = The Washington Post | date = December 16, 1956}} When confirming Spaak's appointment in December 1956 during a session of the NATO foreign ministers, the North Atlantic Council also expanded the role of the secretary general in the organization. Largely as a result of the Suez Crisis, which had strained intra-alliance relations, the council issued a resolution to allow the secretary general "to offer his good offices informally at any time to member governments involved in a dispute and with their consent to initiate or facilitate procedures of inquiry, mediation, conciliation, or arbitration."{{cite book|title = NATO Final Communiques 1949-1974| publisher = NATO Information Service | chapter = 11th-14th December: Paris| page = 104}}

The NATO countries selected the first secretary general on 4 April 1952. Since that time, twelve different diplomats have served officially as secretary general. Eight countries have been represented, with three secretaries general hailing from the United Kingdom, four from the Netherlands, two from Belgium, one from Italy, one from Germany, one from Spain, one from Denmark and one from Norway. The position has also been occupied temporarily on three occasions by an acting secretary general between appointments.

{{Officeholder table start

| showorder = y

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| image_title = Portrait

| officeholder_title = Secretary General

| showtermlenght = y

| showparty = n

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| showaltofficeholder = y

| showpreviousoffice = y

| alt_officeholder_title = Country of origin

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 1

| image = The Lord Ismay.jpg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay

| officeholder_sort = Ismay, Hastings

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1887

| died_year = 1965

| term_start = 24 March 1952

| term_end = 16 May 1957

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1952|03|24|1957|05|16}}

| previous_office = Secretary of State for
Commonwealth Relations

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|United Kingdom}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 2

| image = Bundesarchiv Bild 183-39998-0427, Paul-Henri Spaak.jpg

| officeholder = Paul-Henri Spaak

| officeholder_sort = Spaak, Paul-Henri

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1899

| died_year = 1972

| term_start = 16 May 1957

| term_end = 21 April 1961

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1957|05|16|1961|04|21}}

| previous_office = Prime Minister of Belgium

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|Belgium}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 3

| image = Stikker, Dirk - SFA002019718.jpg

| officeholder = Dirk Stikker

| officeholder_sort = Stikker, Dirk

| officeholder_note = {{efn|Stikker resigned from his position a year early due to poor health.{{cite news|title = Resignation announced by Stikker|first = Don | last = Cook | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = 3 April 1964}}}}

| born_year = 1897

| died_year = 1979

| term_start = 21 April 1961

| term_end = 1 August 1964

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1961|04|21|1964|08|1}}

| previous_office = Minister of Foreign Affairs

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|Netherlands}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 4

| image = Manlio Brosio.jpg

| officeholder = Manlio Brosio

| officeholder_sort = Brosio, Manlio

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1897

| died_year = 1980

| term_start = 1 August 1964

| term_end = 1 October 1971

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1964|08|01|1971|10|01}}

| previous_office = Ambassador to
the United Kingdom

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|Italy}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 5

| image = Luns, J.M.A.H. - SFA008007314.jpg

| officeholder = Joseph Luns

| officeholder_sort = Luns, Joseph

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1911

| died_year = 2002

| term_start = 1 October 1971

| term_end = 25 June 1984

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1971|10|01|1984|06|25}}

| previous_office = Minister of Foreign Affairs

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|Netherlands}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 6

| image = Peter Carington 1984.jpg

| officeholder = Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington

| officeholder_sort = Carrington, Peter

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1919

| died_year = 2018

| term_start = 25 June 1984

| term_end = 1 July 1988

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1984|06|25|1988|07|1}}

| previous_office = Secretary of State for
Foreign and
Commonwealth Affairs

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|United Kingdom}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 7

| image = Verteidigungsminister Dr.Manfred Wörner (4909819218).jpg

| officeholder = Manfred Wörner

| officeholder_sort = Wörner, Manfred

| officeholder_note = {{efn|Wörner died in office on 13 August 1994 of cancer. The Deputy Secretary General, Sergio Balanzino, took over his daily responsibilities for the last several months of his life and then became acting Secretary General upon his death until the appointment of Willy Claes.{{cite news|title = Hunt is on to find new Nato chief | work = The Independent | first = Andrew | last = Marshall | date = 15 August 1994|url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/hunt-is-on-to-find-new-nato-chief-1383606.html|access-date = 2009-03-29 | location=London}}}}

| born_year = 1934

| died_year = 1994

| died = y

| term_start = 1 July 1988

| term_end = 13 August 1994

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1988|07|1|1994|08|13}}

| previous_office = Minister of Defence

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|Germany}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = –

| image = Sergio Balanzino (cropped).jpg

| officeholder = Sergio Balanzino

| officeholder_sort = Balanzino, Sergio

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1934

| died_year = 2018

| term_start = 13 August 1994

| term_end = 17 October 1994

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1994|08|13|1994|10|17}}

| acting = y

| previous_office = Deputy Secretary
General of NATO

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|Italy}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 8

| image = Willy Claes - Filip Naudts.jpg

| officeholder = Willy Claes

| officeholder_sort = Claes, Willy

| officeholder_note = {{efn|Claes resigned as Secretary General after a bribery scandal, centering on his actions in the Belgian cabinet in the 1980s. After his resignation, Deputy Secretary General Sergio Balanzino served as acting Secretary General until the appointment of Javier Solana.{{cite news|title = Facing Charges, NATO Head Steps Down | work = The New York Times | first = Craig | last = Whitney | date = 21 October 1995|url = https://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/21/world/facing-charges-nato-head-steps-down.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/E/Ethics&scp=2&sq=willy%20claes%20resign&st=cse|access-date = 2009-03-29}}}}

| born_year = 1938

| died_year =

| term_start = 17 October 1994

| term_end = 20 October 1995

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1994|10|17|1995|10|20}}

| previous_office = Minister of Foreign Affairs

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|Belgium}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = –

| image = Sergio Balanzino (cropped).jpg

| officeholder = Sergio Balanzino

| officeholder_sort = Balanzino, Sergio

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1934

| died_year = 2018

| term_start = 20 October 1995

| term_end = 5 December 1995

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1995|10|20|1995|12|05}}

| acting = y

| previous_office = Deputy Secretary
General of NATO

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|Italy}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 9

| image = Javier Solana 1999.jpg

| officeholder = Javier Solana

| officeholder_sort = Solana, Javier

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1942

| died_year =

| term_start = 5 December 1995

| term_end = 14 October 1999

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1995|12|05|1999|10|14}}

| previous_office = Minister of Foreign Affairs

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|Spain}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 10

| image = Official portrait of Lord Robertson of Port Ellen 2020 crop 2.jpg

| military_rank =

| officeholder = George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen

| officeholder_sort = Robertson, George

| officeholder_note = {{efn|George Robertson announced in January 2003 that he would be stepping down in December.{{cite news|title =NATO Secretary General to Leave His Post in December After 4 Years|first=Craig|last=Smith|work=The New York Times|date=23 January 2003|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/23/world/nato-secretary-general-to-leave-his-post-in-december-after-4-years.html?scp=2&sq=lord+robertson&st=nyt|access-date = 2009-03-29}} Jaap de Hoop Scheffer was selected as his successor, but could not assume the office until January 2004 because of his commitment in the Dutch Parliament.{{cite news|title = Jaap de Hoop Scheffer | work = Newsmakers | issue = 1 | publisher = Thomson Gale | date = 1 January 2005}} Robertson was asked to extend his term until Scheffer was ready, but declined, so Minuto-Rizzo, the Deputy Secretary General, took over in the interim.}}

| born_year = 1946

| died_year =

| term_start = 14 October 1999

| term_end = 17 December 2003

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1999|10|14|2003|12|17}}

| previous_office = Secretary of State for Defence

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|United Kingdom}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = –

| image = Alessandro_Minuto_Rizzo.jpg

| officeholder = Alessandro
Minuto-Rizzo

| officeholder_sort = Minuto-Rizzo, Alessandro

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1940

| died_year =

| term_start = 17 December 2003

| term_end = 1 January 2004

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2003|12|17|2004|01|01}}

| acting = y

| previous_office = Deputy Secretary
General of NATO

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|Italy|2003}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 11

| image = Hoop Scheffer I (crop).jpg

| officeholder = Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer

| officeholder_sort = Scheffer, Jaap de Hoop

| officeholder_note = {{efn|Scheffer was named Secretary General of NATO effective 1 January 2004,{{cite news|title = NATO Names a Dutchman To Be Its Secretary General | first = Gregory | last = Crouch | work = The New York Times | date = 23 September 2003|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/23/world/nato-names-a-dutchman-to-be-its-secretary-general.html?scp=1&sq=jaap+de+hoop+scheffer&st=nyt|access-date = 2009-03-29}} but he did not take office until 5 January 2004.{{cite news|title = NATO Chief Steps Down| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/18/world/world-briefing-europe-nato-chief-steps-down.html?scp=4&sq=jaap+de+hoop+scheffer&st=nyt| work = The New York Times | date = 18 December 2003|access-date = 2009-03-29}}{{cite news|title =New NATO Chief Takes Over| work = The New York Times | date = 6 January 2004 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/06/world/world-briefing-europe-new-nato-chief-takes-over.html?sec=&spon=&scp=1&sq=New%20NATO%20Chief%20takes%20over&st=cse|access-date = 2009-03-29 | first=Gregory | last=Crouch}}}}

| born_year = 1948

| died_year =

| term_start = 1 January 2004

| term_end = 1 August 2009

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2004|01|01|2009|08|01}}

| previous_office = Minister of Foreign Affairs

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|Netherlands}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 12

| image = Anders Fogh Rasmussen 2013 Garden.jpg

| officeholder = Anders Fogh
Rasmussen

| officeholder_sort = Rasmussen, Anders Fogh

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1953

| died_year =

| term_start = 1 August 2009

| term_end = 1 October 2014

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2009|08|01|2014|10|01}}

| previous_office = Prime Minister of Denmark

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|Denmark}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 13

| image = Jens Stoltenberg March 2024.jpg

| officeholder = Jens Stoltenberg

| officeholder_sort = Stoltenberg, Jens

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1959

| died_year =

| term_start = 1 October 2014

| term_end = 1 October 2024

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2014|10|01|2024|10|01}}

| previous_office = Prime Minister of Norway

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|Norway}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 14

| image = Mark Rutte, 23.03.23 (cropped).jpg

| officeholder = Mark Rutte

| officeholder_sort = Rutte, Mark

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1967

| died_year =

| term_start = 1 October 2024

| term_end = Incumbent

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2024|10|01}}

| previous_office = Prime Minister of the Netherlands

| alt_officeholder = {{flag|Netherlands}}

}}

{{Officeholder table end}}

The NATO secretary general chairs several of the senior decision-making bodies of NATO. In addition to the North Atlantic Council, he chairs the Defence Planning Committee and the Nuclear Planning Committee, two of NATO's important military organizations. The secretary general also leads the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, the Mediterranean Cooperation Group, and serves as joint chairman of the Permanent Joint Council and the NATO-Ukraine Commission.

In a second role, the secretary general leads the staff of NATO. He directs the international staff of the organization, and the Office of the Secretary General. The secretary general also directs his or her own private office. All of these bodies draw personnel from all members of NATO, so the secretary general must carefully coordinate.{{cite web|title = Civilian Organisation and Structures: The Secretary General | url = http://www.nato.int/docu/handbook/2001/hb1003.htm|website=www.nato.int}} For assistance in his responsibilities, the secretary general also has a deputy appointed by the organization.

{{NATO command structure}}

There is no formal process for selecting the secretary general. The members of NATO traditionally reach a consensus on who should serve next. This procedure often takes place through informal diplomatic channels, but it still can become contentious. For example, in 2009, controversy arose over the choice of Anders Fogh Rasmussen as secretary general, due to opposition from Turkey.{{cite news|title = Ankara Debates Rasmussen's Candidacy for NATO Secretary-General | publisher = The Jamestown Foundation | url = http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=34763&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=7&cHash=61bae24c58 | first = Saban | last = Kardas}}

NATO's chief military officer, the supreme allied commander Europe, is traditionally an American, and the secretary general has traditionally been a European. However, there is nothing in NATO's charter that would preclude a Canadian or American from becoming the secretary general.{{cite web|title = NATO Secretary General: How is he or she selected and for how long | url = http://www.nato.int/issues/secgen/selection.html}}

{{Wikinews|Canadian Minister of National Defence withdraws from NATO candidacy}}

• Supreme Allied Commander Europe
• Chairman of the NATO Military Committee
• Secretary General of the CSTO – Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) equivalent

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book|url = https://archives.nato.int/nato-facts-and-figures;isad | title = NATO: Facts and Figures | first = Manlio | last = Brosio | publisher = NATO Information Service | year = 1969}}
• {{cite book|url = http://archives.nato.int/nato-first-5-years-1949-1954-by-lord-ismay-secretary-general-of-north-atlantic-treaty-organization;isad|title = NATO: The First Five Years| first = Hastings | last = Ismay | publisher = NATO | year = 1954}}
• {{cite book | title = NATO:The Dynamics of the Alliance in the Postwar World | first = Edwin | last = Fedder | publisher = Dodd, Mead & Company | year = 1973 | isbn = 0-396-06621-6 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/natodynamicsofal00fedd }}
• {{cite web|url = https://archives.nato.int/nato-secretary-general;isad | title = Fonds. NATO Secretary General | publisher = NATO}}

• {{Commonscatinline}}
• {{Official|https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_50094.htm}}

{{North Atlantic Treaty Organization}}

{{NATO summits}}

Category:1952 establishments