Mark Rutte, the former “Teflon” prime minister of the Netherlands for 14 years, adept at ducking scandals, will be the new head of NATO from October 1. He won praise for building a rapport with Donald Trump during his presidency and calming his aggressive outbursts about European defence spending. He is known as an effective consensus builder and has supported Ukraine. NATO is moving into stormier seas with various problems, from lack of money to a lack of air defense systems, and questions about whether Ukraine should be allowed into NATO. Trump has threatened to cut U.S. aid to Ukraine if he gets back into the White House. His re-election would almost certainly derail NATO’s plan to include Ukraine.
Mark Rutte, 14 February 1967 6.53pm The Hague, Netherlands, has a surprisingly rebellious, innovative and mould-breaking Uranus Pluto in his 1st house opposition Saturn in Pisces which is the driving rod of a Water Grand Trine onto Jupiter in his friendly 11th trine Neptune in his 3rd/4th. He will be good in team situations with Jupiter in the 11th and will be strong-minded and persevering with Saturn opposition Pluto. His hard-working 6th house Aquarius Sun is in a slippery, evasive square to Neptune.
He also has two yods – one from Jupiter sextile Uranus inconjunct his Sun making him erratic in exerting his will, wobbling between under and over confidence. And the other is Pluto Uranus sextile Neptune inconjunct his 8th house Aries Moon, which may be connected to his singular family background. His father was nearly sixty when he was born, an internee in Jakarta during WW11 during which time his first wife died and he later married her sister. Mark Rutte is one of seven siblings from the two marriages. One of his elder brothers died from AIDS in the 1980s.
Rutte’s Sun falls in NATO’s 4th so there will be an ‘at-home’ feel about the relationship, though with his Uranus Pluto conjunct the NATO Mercury he will introduce reforms which may cause some disquiet. His ultra-determined Mars in Scorpio sits on the NATO Ascendant which could waken NATO up though may also suggest conflicts and impulsive reactions.
His personal chart has tr Uranus conjunct his Midheaven from mid 2025 onwards (birth time being absolutely accurate) which does suggest a sharp change of direction. Though it could also include this move. At the moment he has two Jupiterian boosts from his SA MC conjunct his Jupiter and his SA Jupiter exactly conjunct his Uranus at the moment. But he will run also into a serious setback later this year with SA Mars square his Saturn; plus a fast-changing, nerve-stretching tr Uranus opposition his Neptune and square his Sun now until mid 2025. It will be a rocky start to a challenging job.
His relationship chart with NATO also hints at upsets from mid 2025 with tr Uranus opposition the composite Sun and more in 2026/27 with tr Uranus square the composite Pluto.
The NATO chart itself, 24 August 1949 11.42am Washington, DC, looks rattled at tr Uranus moves into Gemini in 2025/26 since it will square the Virgo Sun; stuck with Solar Arc Sun square Pluto in 2026 for a fight for control; and muddled/indecisive, disappointed in 2026/27 with tr Neptune opposition Venus square Uranus.
Rutte’s relationship chart with Trump is very unsettled and aggravated with a disruptive tr Uranus conjunct the composite Saturn exactly now and then square the Pluto in 2025; with a disappointed tr Neptune opposition the Mars – one hopes that is Trump’s irritation from the sidelines.
The children of people who were held in the Japanese camps in WWII carry the trauma with them. I know another Dutchman with a similar background who also had an international career and never married or settled with anyone but had a great many friends from all corners of the globe. The world is their oyster but no one is allowed to get too close. Like Merkel, Rutte likes to remain low key, down to earth, cycling to work and the local supermarket. When we lived in The Hague he used to park in front of our house on Saturday mornings every few weeks on his way to the barber. Most people didn’t even register who he was, arriving in his beaten up old Volvo dressed in ‘80s student garb: bootcut blue jeans, canvas sneakers and matching puffer jacket.
I think the secret of his political success is that he listens to all ponts of view and indeed seeks consensus rather than trying to foist his own view onto everyone. He is not a conventional leader in that sense but, as recent events in the Netherlands have shown, he is not always good in a crisis.
Rutte has BML at 6Aries in his 8th House. Here is Sepharial on 6 Degrees Aries:
“A man riding upon a horse near to the edge of a cliff, and looking down into a valley,
where people are at work.” It denotes a nature well-qualified to undertake the
government of others; it seems to indicate that the force of circumstances will
frequently place such a person in a position over others which is not without its
dangers, and many catastrophes are to be feared. The degre indicates SUPERIORITY,
attainment and honor; but is fraught with many dangers.
Another author gives for BML in Aries…..”..Being villified for your over-assertive
leadership, masculinity, or warrior energy…..can also have hot temper when provoked
which is more intense with BML present.”
I have always thought he was a secretly very influential guy, whose thoughts and ambitions are kept under wraps. Until he makes a move.