German General Carsten Breuer has been elected the next chairman of NATO’s Military Committee, the alliance’s highest military authority and an important advisory structure for political leaders.
Breuer, currently Germany’s defense chief, was elected Saturday by the defense chiefs of the 32 NATO member states at a meeting in Copenhagen. He will take office next summer, succeeding Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone.
The Chairman of the Military Committee is the principal military advisor to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The position takes on particular importance at a time when the alliance is increasing its defense capabilities and facing increased security tensions in Europe.
Breuer, 61, is a German army officer who served in the NATO mission in Kabul. He has been Germany’s defense chief since 2023.
His election comes as Germany has significantly increased defense spending and is playing a greater role in strengthening European military capabilities within NATO.