In a recent vote, Canada’s chief of the defence staff has been defeated in her bid to chair the NATO Military Committee, which serves as the alliance’s primary military authority and provides crucial advice to political leaders.
Gen. Jennie Carignan was in competition with her German counterpart, Gen. Carsten Breuer, for the position. On Saturday, military leaders from NATO’s 32 member nations ultimately chose Breuer through a secret ballot.
The announcement was made via social media by the incumbent chair, Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, who extended his congratulations to Breuer following his election.
“Your operational judgment, extensive knowledge of this alliance, and your leadership of the German Armed Forces will be of great benefit to NATO,” Dragone stated.
It’s been nearly 20 years since a Canadian has held this role, with the last one being retired general Ray Henault, who served from 2005 to 2008. If successful, Carignan would have made history as the first woman to lead the Military Committee in the alliance’s 77-year existence.
In her statement on social media, Carignan expressed her congratulations to Breuer, stating, “It was a privilege to be a candidate and to interact with my fellow Allied Chiefs of Defence during this process.”
“There is significant work ahead for our Alliance, and I am confident General Breuer will provide strong leadership in his new position. I truly appreciate the close relationship we have developed and look forward to collaborating on our NATO initiatives,” she added.
During a press conference outside the Liberal caucus retreat in Ottawa on Saturday afternoon, Defence Minister David McGuinty expressed pride in Carignan and her candidacy. He noted that the federal government is unaware of the vote distribution.
“What matters is that Gen. Carignan will continue to work alongside her peers — all 31 other chiefs of defence in the alliance. This is a significant contribution we are making,” McGuinty remarked.
“Gen. Carignan is performing exceptionally well.”
Potential U.S. barriers to Carignan’s appointment
Experts previously mentioned to CBC News that a possible hindrance to Carignan’s success could be U.S. President Donald Trump — especially in light of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s formal announcement to enhance Canada’s connections with the European Union.
“Trump is unlikely to allow a Canadian or a woman to lead the military committee, if anyone around him is paying attention,” stated Steven Saideman, a defence expert at Carleton University who has extensively written about NATO.
Breuer, a 61-year-old army officer, earned the nickname “the chancellor’s general” after then-German chancellor Olaf Scholz appointed him to lead a crisis committee that managed the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 and 2022.
He began his career in an air defence unit within the Bundeswehr in 1984 and later attended the U.S. general staff college in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, as well as German general staff training in Hamburg.
German Chief of Defence Gen. Carsten Breuer makes a statement during a Lithuanian-German military exercise in Pabrade, Lithuania, in May 2024. (Mindaugas Kulbis/The Associate Press)
In 2014, Breuer was part of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Dragone stated on social media that Breuer is set to officially assume his role in July 2027.