What an opportunity, what a sign – Jens Stoltenberg as new head of the Munich Security Conference. It would be the first time since its founding in 1963 that it would no longer be led by a German, and then again by one of such political caliber.
The 65-year-old Stoltenberg has not only been NATO Secretary General for a decade, highly respected and highly decorated. Before that, he was also Norwegian Prime Minister for a long time, as well as Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy. That fits thematically.
Stoltenberg knows the consequences of wars and civil society crises. In 2011, he also steered his country through the difficult period following the attacks in Oslo’s government district and on the island of Utøya.
At that time, the right-wing terrorist Anders Behring Breivik had killed 77 people, many of them young people. Society was deeply hurt. Stoltenberg, father of two now grown-up children, made an international name for himself with empathy and determination.
Striking: Heusgen’s criticism of Israel
Stoltenberg’s appointment may be the result of a power struggle between the former boss and the incumbent, Wolfgang Ischinger and Christoph Heusgen, but the solution sought by Ischinger as chairman of the foundation’s board of directors can take the security conference to another level. Especially since Heusgen, in office since 2022 and former security advisor to Chancellor Angela Merkel, had lost international reputation after a strong start.
One reason was probably – with lasting effects – the significant involvement in the German position on Ukraine and Russia under Merkel, which is now very controversial. The other was a cool attitude to the Hamas terror attack almost a year ago: initially no condemnation of the terrorists, no condemnation of the terror sponsor Iran, instead criticism of Israel. Not for the first time, by the way.
Other delegations also noticed that Israel’s President Itzhak Herzog and his wife were received in a rather businesslike manner at the last conference in Munich. It became a big topic of conversation in the background.
The next conference will be Heusgen’s last as chairman; another role has not yet been completely ruled out. After all, Ischinger is an experienced negotiator.
Then Stoltenberg – a coup. Known and renowned worldwide, his charisma should be of great benefit to the international summit. The partners, especially in NATO, can be happy.
