German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has officially declared his support for Mark Rutte's candidacy to lead NATO. Rutte, the outgoing Dutch prime minister, has been described as an "outstanding candidate" by Scholz's spokesperson, Steffen Hebestreit. With two-thirds of NATO allies now supporting Rutte, his nomination would require the endorsement of all 31 allies before he can succeed Jens Stoltenberg as NATO Secretary General. Stoltenberg is expected to step down from his position in October. Scholz highlighted Rutte's extensive experience, security policy expertise, and diplomatic skills as key factors in his endorsement.