General Carsten Breuer to lead NATO Military Committee — Politico Europe
In Copenhagen, Germany’s chief of defence, General Carsten Breuer, was elected the next chair of the NATO Military Committee, the Alliance’s highest military body. He will replace Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone in July and serve for three years.
Secret ballot
As Politico Europe reports, Breuer’s candidacy was supported by at least 17 of the 32 NATO chiefs of defence in a closed ballot.
According to an unnamed NATO official, the remaining votes were not disclosed to avoid the risk of disloyalty and divisions arising over the election result.
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Breuer, who has led Germany’s armed forces since 2023, defeated Canada’s Chief of the Defence Staff Jennie Carignan. The report notes that the German general was considered the favorite given Berlin’s leading defence spending in Europe and Washington’s implicit support.
Powers of the committee chair
The current chair of the NATO Military Committee, Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, congratulated Breuer on his victory. He said that the general’s operational judgment, deep knowledge of the Alliance and experience leading the German armed forces would be beneficial to NATO.
The chair of the Military Committee provides the allies with military advice, including on the feasibility of operations, their funding and available capabilities. The chair also coordinates dozens of NATO military personnel working groups and helps achieve consensus in preparing military advice.
