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The Globe and Mail
· collected 2026-09-19 · by Kyle Duggan and Catherine Morrison
German General Carsten Breuer has been elected as the next chair of NATO’s military committee during a meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark. He won over Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Jennie Carignan, who was seeking the position. Only three Canadians have held this role previously, and the last time was during the Afghanistan war in the mid-2000s. Defence Minister David McGuinty congratulated Breuer while acknowledging the strong candidacy of General Carignan.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-19,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Gen. Jennie Carignan, Canada's top military commander, lost an election on Saturday for the chair position of NATO’s Military Committee to German Gen. Carsten Breuer. The election took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, among 32 Western nations’ top military commanders. If successful, Carignan would have become the first woman ever to hold this prestigious role since NATO's inception in 1949. Canada has not held this position in nearly two decades; Ray Henault was the last Canadian to serve from 2005 to 2008 during the Afghanistan war era. The committee serves as a key advisory body for political leaders within NATO, although it does not hold the highest military clout reserved typically for an American leader.
Written for “NATO Leadership Election” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 4 other(s) covering the same event.
NATO chiefs of defence have elected German Gen. Carsten Breuer as the next chair of the alliance’s military committee, over Canada’s top military commander.
asserted
chiefs → elect → commander
Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan ran against Breuer for the top NATO position.
asserted
Carignan → run → position
NATO chiefs of defence met in Copenhagen, Denmark, Saturday to choose the next chair.
asserted
chiefs → meet → chair
It’s a prestige posting but it doesn’t carry the same level of clout as the alliance’s most senior role of supreme allied commander, a powerful command position that usually goes to an American.
asserted
that → ’ → American
Only three Canadians have ever served as chair of the military committee, and the last time was during the Afghanistan war in the mid-2000s.
asserted
time → serve → mid-2000s
In a social media post, Defence Minister David McGuinty congratulated Breuer on his election.
asserted
McGuinty → congratulate → election
“Canada was proud to nominate Gen. Jennie Carignan, whose strong candidacy reflected her exceptional leadership, experience and deep commitment to Allied collaboration,” he said.
asserted
he → nominate → collaboration
“We remain firmly committed to NATO and our collective defence, and look forward to continuing to work closely with Gen. Breuer and all of our Allies.”
asserted
We → remain → Allies
If she had won, Carignan would have become the first woman to be named to the position, and also would have to step down as leader of Canada’s military, a role she has held since 2024.
asserted
she → win → 2024
The current military chair, Italy’s Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, will leave his post next year.
asserted
chair → leave → post
Dragone said on social media that Breuer’s operational judgement, deep familiarity with the alliance and leadership of the German armed forces would “serve NATO well.”
asserted
judgement → say → NATO
“The Chiefs of Defence have placed their trust in you at a demanding moment for Euro-Atlantic security,” he said.
asserted
he → place → security
“You will have the full support of the Committee and of the International Military Staff through the transition, and I look forward to working closely with you until the handover.”
asserted
I → have → handover
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