British media dissatisfaction: You have no right to decide!, Macron opposes British Defense Minister taking over as Secretary General of NATO | NATO | Macron
According to the Daily Telegraph website on June 17th, French President Macron attempted to prevent British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace from becoming the next NATO Secretary General, citing that Britain had already left the European Union.
According to reports, when the current NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's term ended this autumn, Wallace was touted as a potential successor. The popular candidate to replace Stoltenberg is Danish Prime Minister Met Fraser Riksen.
However, the Daily Telegraph reported that French officials have told NATO colleagues that they hope the position of NATO Secretary General will be held by someone from an EU country. This move is part of France's efforts to promote the EU's military independence and reduce its dependence on the United States for security.
A source said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph, "He is not from an EU member state. Many countries, mainly France, insist that the next Secretary General must come from one EU country."
According to reports, Macron has received support from most of the 22 member states of the European Union and also NATO, including Germany. It is reported that EU countries such as the Netherlands and Poland may support the UK candidate.
▲ Information image: British Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace
Due to budget cuts, French officials reportedly expressed concerns about the condition of the British armed forces. Macron previously announced that by 2030, France will increase military spending by more than one-third.
The report points out that Macron has long stated that the UK must face the "consequences" of Brexit. Macron played an important role in the plan to establish a "land, sea, and air" rapid response force in Brussels. Critics believe that this move will weaken NATO's role as the main security guarantee for Europe.
![British media dissatisfaction: You have no right to decide!, Macron opposes British Defense Minister taking over as Secretary General of NATO | NATO | Macron](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/54dd138d3e55d928d1a4e80b69e362b1.jpg)
It is reported that Wallace was praised for his performance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but France's opposition may frustrate his ambition to become the next NATO Secretary General.
Wallace recently told German media, "I've always said this would be a good job. It's the job I enjoy. But I also enjoy my current job."
In response to Macron's attempt to prevent Wallace from taking over NATO, the Daily Telegraph website published a commentary article on June 18th titled "Macron has no authority to serve as a decision-maker in NATO.". The article states that just a few years ago, Macron announced NATO's "brain death", and recently he has become obsessed with his own proud project - the European Political Community.
The article argues that Macron has clearly decided that he has the authority to act as a decision-maker for NATO. His attempt to prevent British Defense Secretary Wallace from serving as the next NATO Secretary General is not just a retaliation against Brexit.
The article states that for a long time, the United Kingdom has been the second largest contributor to NATO after the United States; By certain standards, Britain remains the most powerful military force in Europe.
At the end of the article, it is asked whether the candidate favored by France can be respected in Poland or its neighboring countries like the British candidate, as NATO's focus is firmly on its eastern wing?