Caretaker prime minister Mark Rutte could step down before talks to form a new government have concluded after Nato said it wanted to name its next secretary-general within weeks.

Julianne Smith, the United States’ permanent representative to Nato, confirmed Rutte was a contender to succeed Jens Stoltenberg, whose term of office will end in the autumn.

She told a press briefing on Tuesday that the members of the military alliance were keen to select a candidate “in the first quarter of this calendar year” if possible.

“I don’t think it’s any secret … that we have heard from Rutte himself, Prime Minister Rutte, and he has expressed an interest,” Smith said. “So that is one person that the Alliance is looking at.

“But it is an ongoing process, and I would expect that it will come to some sort of resolution in the next few months.”

Stoltenberg is due to leave his post on October 1 after nearly 10 years of service, but Nato is keen to announce his successor soon to avoid the appointment becoming entangled in the European elections in June or the upcoming US presidential election campaign.

If Rutte is appointed before a new coalition has been formed, he will have to decide whether to carry on as caretaker prime minister until October or step aside to prepare for his next role.

In the latter case the VVD party would have to find someone else to take charge of the outgoing cabinet with D66, the Christian Democrats (CDA) and ChristenUnie.