NATO Defense Chiefs Elect German General Carsten Breuer as Military Committee Chair
German Bundeswehr chief Carsten Breuer secured at least 17 of 32 votes in Copenhagen to lead the alliance's top military body starting in July 2027.
Vote in Copenhagen
German four-star General Carsten Breuer won election as the next Chair of the NATO Military Committee during a closed-door meeting of alliance defense chiefs in Copenhagen on Saturday, 19 September 2026. Breuer, who has served as Inspector General of the Bundeswehr since 2023, secured support from at least 17 of the 32 national chiefs of defense staff in a secret ballot. Alliance officials kept the remaining vote tally confidential to avoid division over the selection. Breuer defeated General Jennie Carignan, the head of Canada's armed forces since 2024, after bilateral friction between Washington and Ottawa reduced her backing among member states.
Breuer will succeed Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone for a three-year term beginning in July 2027. Following the vote in Denmark, Admiral Cavo Dragone offered his congratulations to the incoming chair.
Congratulations to General Carsten Breuer.
Strategic priorities and deterrence
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius stated that Breuer's leadership will follow a clear direction centered on collective defense and regional vigilance against Moscow. Pistorius noted that the election demonstrates trust in Germany and acknowledges the steps Berlin has taken to reinforce the alliance.
A clear line: the threat, coming primarily from Russia, is growing.
Pistorius emphasized that European allies must assume greater responsibility for their conventional deterrence and security. He noted that this shift comes as the United States expands its strategic focus toward other regions, including competition with China. Germany currently serves as the largest European provider of financial and military assistance to Ukraine, while confronting Russian hybrid activity, including espionage, sabotage operations, and cyberattacks.
Mandate of the Military Committee
The Chair of the Military Committee functions as the primary military adviser to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the North Atlantic Council. The chair oversees dozens of working groups within NATO's International Military Staff and brokers consensus among member nations on military recommendations. In addition, the chair delivers assessments on operational feasibility, funding needs, and requisite force capabilities.
Alliance conventions dictate that the position is held by a European or Canadian officer. Meanwhile, the post of Supreme Allied Commander Europe is assigned to an American officer nominated by the US president, currently General Alexus Grynkewich.
- Carsten Breuer assumes leadership of the German Bundeswehr
- Jennie Carignan takes command of the Canadian armed forces
- NATO members agree to allocate 5% of GDP to defense by 2035
- NATO defense chiefs elect Breuer to lead the Military Committee
- Breuer begins three-year term as Chair of the NATO Military Committee
- NATO target deadline to reach 5% GDP defense spending
Defense investment targets
The leadership transition occurs alongside broader changes in allied defense planning. Under pressure from US President Donald Trump to shift military resources away from Europe and toward other theaters, several European nations, including Germany, have increased their military budgets. In 2025, NATO member states approved a target requiring allies to allocate 5% of gross domestic product to defense, establishing a schedule for progressive budget increases through 2035. Breuer will guide the alliance's military advice as member states implement these spending targets and adapt their command structures.
