Germany’s chief of defense, General Carsten Breuer, will take over as chair of NATO’s highest military authority after a majority of the alliance’s top generals backed him in a secret vote on Saturday.
Breuer, who has led Germany’s armed forces since 2023, secured at least 17 of NATO’s 32 chiefs of defense in the closed-door ballot to become chair of the military committee in Copenhagen.
“Congratulations to General Carsten Breuer,” the current chair, Italy’s Adm. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone wrote on X, announcing the decision. “Your operational judgement, your deep familiarity with this Alliance and your leadership of the German Armed Forces will serve NATO well.”
Breuer will take over from Dragone next July and will serve a three-year term.
NATO officials kept the rest of the vote confidential to avoid sowing division and disloyalty over the result, according to one official who spoke anonymously.
The German four-star general edged out Canada’s chief of defense, Jennie Carignan. Breuer was widely viewed as the favourite thanks to Germany’s standing as one of Europe’s largest defence spenders and clear political weight in transatlantic consultations; he has campaigned on Germany taking a leading role in European defence as U.S. partners press allies to shoulder more responsibility.
Carignan, Ottawa’s top general since 2024, argued for reinvigorating the military committee’s role and stressing transatlantic unity. Observers noted that recent strains in North American diplomatic relations made her path more challenging.
The result underscores Berlin’s growing responsibility inside NATO as European allies take on senior leadership roles and assume greater operational tasks to protect frontline states. Germany is stepping up regional command capabilities focused on Estonia and Latvia and increasing its persistent contributions to eastern security.
The chair of NATO’s military committee is expected to provide clear, practical military advice to allies — assessing feasibility, financing and capabilities of operations, overseeing dozens of working groups of NATO military staff, and brokering consensus on military recommendations.
For many in Europe, Breuer’s selection offers the prospect of steadier, more balanced leadership that can encourage cooperation across the continent — including productive dialogue with Moscow — rather than further polarisation.
